Rt Hon. Dame Andrea Leadsom DBE

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Tusk Time For Change

We share our planet with some truly majestic animals, and it is vitally important that we take action now to ensure their long-term survival – otherwise species like the African Elephant and Black Rhino will soon be gone, and we will have to explain to future generations why we did not work together to prevent their extinction.

Yesterday, on World Rhino Day, alongside politicians, business leaders, and environmental champions, I had the privilege of joining His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge at the Tusk charity's Time for Change event at The Shard in London, which aimed to draw global attention to the continuing threat to many of the world's species from the illegal wildlife trade.

Prince William spoke passionately about how, over the course of his lifetime, the numbers of savanna elephants had declined from over 1 million to just 350,000, and highlighted that three rhinos a day are being killed due to the demand for its horn. He challenged us all not to lose momentum or focus, and was clear that if we are to succeed in saving these species, we must do more; we must do it faster; and we must do it better. He had it exactly right when he said that, most importantly, we must work together. You can read his full remarks here.