Prince William's powerful new docuseries honors brave wildlife rangers
What's the story
Prince William is doubling down on his commitment to environmental conservation and supporting those who safeguard it.
The British royal has launched a six-part docuseries titled Guardians, which highlights the dangerous work of wildlife rangers around the world.
The series, produced by his Royal Foundation's United for Wildlife and award-winning studio ZANDLAND, will be released weekly on BBC Earth's YouTube channel.
The first episode will be released on Friday.
Series focus
'Guardians' showcases rangers' sacrifices, risks in conservation efforts
The docuseries features stories from rangers in Central African Republic, Indian Himalayas, Mexico's Sea of Cortez, South Africa's Kruger National Park, Sri Lanka, and Brazil's Caru indigenous land.
Each episode is six to 10 minutes long and aims to raise awareness about the dangers these wildlife protectors face.
Prince William said at a screening in London that he was inspired by David Attenborough's ability to bring "wonderful parts of the world" into people's homes.
Conservation heroes
Prince William called rangers 'glue between human and natural world'
Prince William described rangers as "the glue between the human world we live in and the natural world," emphasizing their crucial role in maintaining a balance between both.
He said, "Any future we want from the natural world has to come from the ranger community being valued, respected, seen."
The series was inspired by his conversations with rangers who have shared how much more dangerous their jobs have become due to civil wars and illegal activities.
Support needed
Prince William advocated for better support for rangers
Noting about 1,400 rangers had died due to their job over the past decade, the prince highlighted the need for more funding and support for rangers.
He said that 1.5 million more are needed to meet global biodiversity targets by 2030.
"Because why would anyone get involved when it's not properly funded, they are not valued, no one cares?"
The docuseries comes after William announced a life insurance initiative for African rangers in November last year.