Prince William pays tribute to ‘immense sacrifices’ of rangers after deaths in Niassa

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Prince William pays tribute to ‘immense sacrifices’ of rangers after deaths in Niassa

2:14 CAT | 08 May 2025

FILE - For illustration purposes only. [File photo: GB News]

William, Prince of Wales, today lamented the terrorist attack that killed two rangers in Niassa province, Mozambique, in April, highlighting the “immense sacrifices” made by these professionals, whose work in Africa he has been supporting.

“This attack is yet another brutal reminder of the immense sacrifices made by those who protect our natural world. The reality is that being a ranger has become one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet. My thoughts are with all those affected and their families,” Prince William wrote in a message posted on his official account on the social network X.

This attack is yet another brutal reminder of the immense sacrifices made by those protecting our natural world.

The reality is that being a ranger has become one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet. My thoughts are with all those affected and their families. W https://t.co/GVlzIdmTGH

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) May 7, 2025

At least two rangers from Niassa Special Reserve in northern Mozambique died and two others are missing after attacks by alleged rebels in the protected area, it was announced on 05 May.

A press release by one of the managers of the Mariri sports hunting camp in the Niassa Special Reserve indicates that a ranger was also injured in the attacks.

Last November, in South Africa, the Prince of Wales presented a new initiative to support 10,000 rangers across Africa over the next five years and bolster their work in the defence of nature.

“Rangers are fundamental if we are to meet our global conservation targets for 2030 and prevent the dangerous tipping points that threaten our planet,” William argued, speaking at the opening of the United for Wildlife global summit in Cape Town.

“These people do far more than protect wildlife. They are educators. They are community supporters. And they help regulate the sustainable use of natural resources,” added the prince, whose foundation set up the global association that gives its name to the summit in 2013 to tackle the illegal wildlife trade.

Called the Ranger Welfare and Standards Initiative (RWSI), it was developed in conjunction with the African Rangers Association and the British non-governmental organisation, Tusk Trust.

The five-year programme will be rolled out across the continent, providing 10,000 rangers with “access to adequate and affordable medical and insurance coverage during their service, along with opportunities for training and leadership development”.

READ: Mozambique: ANAC officer wins Prince William Award for Conservation

The Mariri sport hunting camp is in one of REN’s hunting reserves, comprising an area of 42,000 km of land in eight districts, some of which includes parts of Cabo Delgado, a northern region of Mozambique that has been facing an armed insurgency since 2017.
The Mariri camp was attacked on April 29, after a previous alleged attack in the same reserve on April 24.

The Niassa Carnivores Project said in the same statement that its team and some of its logistical resources had been removed from the camp following the two attacks.

“This episode represents a worrying expansion of the conflict that has been ravaging the north of the country, now affecting one of Mozambique’s most important conservation areas,” the same document said.

READ: Two killed in jihadist attack in northern Mozambique – AFP

The Mozambican Association of Safari Operators (AMOS) also expressed concern about the attacks by armed men in REN, asking for “calm” from those who have already scheduled hunting activities.

AMOS reports that the insecurity affects only Niassa and Cabo Delgado, with conditions for hunting and tourism still obtaining in the rest of the country.

On April 25, after the first attack on the reserve, Mozambique’s minister of defence acknowledged the presence of terrorists in the Niassa Special Reserve.

Source: Lusa