Prince Harry has made an impassioned plea to save the African black rhino.
The 32-year-old royal has asked for support in saving this "incredibly special" creature as he revealed numbers in the wild have been on the decrease.
He said: "The rhino is one of Africa’s most iconic species. This is a black rhino, an animal that deserves the utmost respect, so to be able to be sitting next to her is incredibly special.
"The black rhino has been reintroduced into Botswana and its numbers are increasing here, while numbers are decreasing elsewhere. If we can’t save these animals, what can we save?"
And the flame-haired royal has become a patron of Rhino Conservation Botswana, a charity set up to monitor and protect Botswana’s black and white rhinos.
In a video filmed whilst the Prince was in Botswana, he added: "I’ve been lucky enough to visit Botswana for more than 20 years and am incredibly fortunate to be able to call it my second home.
"Being Patron of Rhino Conservation Botswana is an opportunity to give something back to a country that has given so much to me. It’s about time we start celebrating and supporting the countries that are taking the lead in conservation."
It comes after Prince Harry revealed he is "incredibly proud" of his brother Prince William in his efforts in trying to stop rhino traffickers.
He said: "My brother, William, is working at a global level to encourage countries like America and China to lead the way in ending demand for ivory and rhino horn and to help African nations with the resources they need to beat the traffickers.
"Next week in London, he will host a global taskforce of transportation firms, government agencies, and wildlife experts to agree an ambitious plan to shutdown global trafficking routes. William has put the fate of endangered species back on the agenda of governments, companies, and NGOs around the world. I am incredibly proud of what he is achieving and will do whatever I can to support him."
Prince Harry pleas for support to save the African rhino
