World News for Students of English

08-12-2015 07:00

As Prince Harry visits a crime scene, he is visibly moved. The prince has been meeting rangers at the Kruger National Park in South Africa to raise concerns over the illegal trade of rhino horns. Last week, a rhino and her calf were killed here by poachers, taking their valuable horns.

“Already this year, 1,500 rhinos have been killed in this country. That is four every day. If current poaching rates continue, there’ll be no wild African elephants or rhinos left by the time children born this year, like my niece Charlotte, turn 25.” The prince was with South Africa’s environmental crime team calling attention to an issue which is close to his heart.

Rhino poaching is a growing problem in South Africa. The numbers killed has tripled since 2011.

In the summer, the prince spent 10 days working with conservation experts here. Footage and pictures from his own phone have now been released. This photo is on Instagram and with it, Prince Harry’s description of how a young female black rhino called Hope was wounded by poachers in the eastern cape of South Africa.

He said that certain poachers tranquillise the animal before hacking off the horns. After two operations. vets saved Hope’s life.

The image shows the Prince’s hands-on approach, but with it, his sadness and frustration with the issue.

Difficult words: calf (a young animal), tranquillise (to calm down with a drug), hack (to cut roughly), hands-on (practical and active).

Source: www.ondemandnews.com