London
CNN
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Wildlife rangers are killed at nearly twice a week, and Prince William is a toll that the world says can no longer be ignored.
This is a bare reality in The Guardians, the new six-part docusary of Prince of Wales, offering rare insight into the dangerous work of rangers operating at the forefront of conservation around the world.
A champion of the environment for over a decade, William presents each episode of the series aimed to capture both the beauty of nature and the brutality of the guardian’s fight to protect it.
“I’ve been eager to do something around this kind of space for a while,” William said after an unexpected appearance at a screening in London on Tuesday. “This is something special for me because I have a lot of friends and people I have met over the years on my trips.
At great cost, rangers stand between poachers and many endangered species, taking incredible risks as the frontline of nature. They endure similar tests as soldiers in battle, and face deaths, injuries and torture from poachers on a daily basis, and the animals they protect can also kill them.
William, who founded United for Wildlife through a royal foundation in 2013 and founded United for Wildlife to combat the illegal wildlife trade, said the series was shaped by direct explanations from the rangers he met and the “unimportant” work he does to protect the planet.
They are “nameless heroes,” William told the audience. “I like seeing rangers as an adhesive between the human world we live in and the natural world.”
Chris Garrier, chairman of the International Federation of Rangers, mirrored William, explaining that Rangers “play an integral role in ensuring and maintaining the health of our planet.”
“Although they are often resources provided and supported, their tireless work ensures the stability of our natural and cultural heritage and the world economy, and proves that environmental protection is deeply connected to human survival,” he said.
The series follows the story of Rangers working in the Central African Republic, the Himalayas in India, the Sea of Cortez in Mexico, Kruger National Park in South Africa, Sri Lanka and the lands of the indigenous Cal in Brazil.
William has spent many years on his rangers and his conservation team. He witnessed the risk firsthand and met people patrol some of the world’s most unstable environments.
“This is one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet right now,” William said. “And really shouldn’t be. Protecting nature should not be so dangerous.”
“At some point,” he added. “We have to say enough.”
William also looked back at the power of documentary storytelling, citing David Attenborough as a “big inspiration” in his childhood. The heirs of the British throne’s ability to bring the “great parts of the world” of famous veteran broadcasters into people’s homes is something that “protectives” are also striving to do.
“The future we want for nature must come from what our ranger community is valued, respected and seen,” William continued. “We value them, we value them, and we hope that momentum is built and people support them.”
The series began a few weeks after William paid tribute to the two rangers who were killed and the two rangers who were seriously injured in the attack in Mozambique.
In November, William announced a new life insurance initiative for Rangers across Africa. The five-year financial package, partially funded by his foundation, benefits 10,000 rangers, providing access to health and life insurance coverage, training and development opportunities.
The digital series, launched by United for wildlife and co-produced with award-winning studio Zandland, will premiere worldwide on BBC Earth’s YouTube and social channels on Friday, with episodes released weekly.
