African Safari blog

“Call to arms” for Africa’s endangered iconic animals

African Wildlife

Prince William has weighed in on the desperate need to arrest the potential extinction of some of Africa’s “must see” animals, in particular:

  • elephants – poached for their ivory tusks
  • rhino – poached for their horn
  • and lions – with numbers dwindling because of habitat destruction and hunting

predicting that, unless certain measures are taken, some of these animals will not be around by the time Princess Charlotte reaches 25.

Some of the really sad facts are:

Elephant tusks are used primarily for the manufacture of trinkets such as ornaments and jewellery – the lives of these amazing and emotional creatures are sacrificed to produce completely frivolous and unnecessary products.

Rhinos horn is reputed to be an aphrodisiac and cure all sorts of ailments – both of which claims are, of course, absolute rubbish. Rhino horn consists of the same substance as human nails, keratin! Can you imagine anyone becoming more amorous or recovering from any disease or illness as a result of a feed of human nails?!

Some lions are deliberately bred as fodder for canned hunting, which is bad enough. But what is worse is the ones that are retired from tourist activities such as “walking with lions” once they approach adulthood. Despite assertions to the contrary, lions who have been habituated to people can never be released back to the wild so they are sold to canned hunting outfits who charge a fortune.

So, while not condemning past generations who did not have the knowledge we do today and exhorting us to become more responsible consumers, Prince William’s comments have made many realise that none of us, unfortunately not even whole species, are guaranteed a “tomorrow”! So carpe diem and shift that safari to the top of your bucket list!

Read more about the best places to see these animals in your African Safari:

Contact Destinations Africa (which is a proud supporter of the Australian Rhino Project) to arrange an unforgettable african holiday trip of a lifetime

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