In a spectacle reminiscent of a Hollywood action film, Prince Harry takes center stage in a daring rescue mission to save 500 endangered elephants from the clutches of merciless poachers. Hanging upside down from a crane, a sedated baby elephant is gently lowered onto a truck, embarking on the only road trip of its life as part of an audacious wildlife preservation endeavor.
Devotion: Prince Harry has been a devoted conservationist and spent three months embedded with an anti-poaching patrol in southern Africa last year. He posted this heartbreaking picture near the end of the tour
This week, Prince Harry returns to Africa, not as a royal figurehead, but as a frontline warrior in the battle to safeguard the continent’s largest land mammals from the brink of extinction. With the skills of a seasoned pilot, honed through experiences in warzones, the prince is set to lead the charge in the meticulous relocation of family groups of elephants across Malawi, a journey spanning 200 miles to sanctuary, as part of the groundbreaking initiative dubbed ‘500 Elephants.’
Back to Africa: Harry is spending his second successive summer in Africa, this time working with the NGO African Parks. The project will help 500 elephants move 200 miles to a conservation park in Malwai
Prince Harry’s commitment to conservation runs deep. Last year, he dedicated three months to embedding himself with anti-poaching patrols in southern Africa, a testament to his unwavering devotion to the cause. Sharing poignant moments captured during his tour, the prince revealed the heart-wrenching realities of the battle against wildlife crimes.
Help: Elephant numbers have been dropping in Malawi due to poaching. Above, The immediate priority of the programmer is to check the health of the elephants before they are hoisted onto flatbed trucks
Returning for his second consecutive summer in Africa, Prince Harry joins forces with the NGO African Parks, earning accolades for his hands-on involvement in the monumental task ahead. Fran Read of African Parks expressed elation at the prince’s involvement, emphasizing the critical importance of his participation in such a significant project.
Frontline: The 31-year-old royal brings valuable field experience from last year’s three months embedded with bush vets and an anti-poaching teams, gaining a host of hands-on skills. Above, he helps treat a rhinocerous
The £1 million operation aims to relocate approximately 500 elephants from dwindling habitats in southern Malawi to a conservation park in the country’s central region. The move promises these majestic creatures more space to thrive and breed, countering the alarming decline in their numbers attributed to rampant poaching activities.
Hanging: The Prince has landed in Malawi to assist the NGO African Parks. Above, An elephant is lifted onto a flatbed lorry, ready for the journey to its new home. Twigs will be placed in their trunks to help them breathe
Elephants hold a special place in Prince Harry’s heart, evident in his poignant Instagram posts and personal anecdotes from his time as a conservation volunteer in Africa. His experiences, including aiding in the treatment of sedated rhinos and measuring vital signs, underscore his hands-on approach to wildlife preservation.
Hero: One of the prince’s tasks in Namibia was to measure vital signs and administer fluids to sedated rhinos, whose horns were being removed to make them less attractive to poachers
In the ‘500 Elephants’ project, Prince Harry’s role extends beyond mere observation. As a skilled pilot, he assists in flushing elephants from wooded areas onto open plains, facilitating the darting process crucial for their safe relocation. Despite inherent risks and stresses associated with drugging and moving elephants over long distances, the project holds promise as a model for wildlife management across Africa.
After the elephant is tranquilised, it is measured in Liwonde National Park, Malawi, in the first step of an assisted migration. African Parks, which manages three Malawian reserves is moving the 500 elephants
Bas Huijbregts, an African species expert for the WWF conservation group, lauds the Malawi relocation as a win-win for both elephants and people, foreseeing its potential to set new standards in wildlife preservation efforts continent-wide. African Parks envisions Malawi’s elephants serving as a vital reservoir for replenishing dwindling populations elsewhere in Africa, where estimates suggest fewer than 500,000 elephants remain, a fraction of their numbers a century ago.
The Malawi relocation is ‘a win-win for elephants and people’ and an example of wildlife management that ‘will likely become the new norm in many places in Africa,’ said Bas Huijbregts, African species expert for the WWF conservation group
Amid his conservation endeavors, Prince Harry’s recent presence at an AIDS conference in Durban underscores his multifaceted engagement with Africa, a continent he holds dear, largely influenced by his Zimbabwe-born former girlfriend, Chelsy Davy.
Once they are sedated and recorded, the elephants are revived with injections in ‘wake-up’ crates and cattle prods are used to herd them onto flatbed trucks for the day-long journey to their new home
An elephant is lifted by a crane in an upside down position in Malawi, in the first step of an assisted migration of 500 of the threatened species. The animal is unconscious and will wake up unharmed
The role of the pilot in the ‘500Elephants’ project is to flush elephants from wooded areas onto the plains to enable them to be more easily darted by the on board vet – something Harry could easily undertake
As Prince Harry’s tireless efforts continue to make headlines, his actions serve as a beacon of hope for the preservation of Africa’s rich biodiversity, ensuring that future generations may witness the majestic beauty of these gentle giants roaming the African plains.