Wildlife rangers are being killed at a rate of nearly two a week, and it’s a toll Prince William has said the world can no longer ignore.
This is the reality laid bare in “Guardians,” a new six-part docuseries from the Prince of Wales which offers a rare insight into the dangerous work of rangers operating on the front lines of conservation across the globe.
A champion of the environment for over a decade, William introduces each episode of the series, which aims to capture both the beauty of the natural world, and the brutality of the protectors’ fight to defend it.
“I’ve been dying to do something around this sort of space for a while,” William said after making an unexpected appearance at a screening in London on Tuesday. “This one is particularly special to me, because I’ve got lots of friends and people I’ve met over the years on my trips and going abroad who are living this life on a daily basis.”
Rangers make huge sacrifices and take incredible risks as nature’s front line by standing between poachers and numerous endangered species. They endure similar ordeals to soldiers in combat, routinely facing death, injury, or torture from poachers, and the animals they protect can kill them too.
William, 42, who founded United for Wildlife through his Royal Foundation in 2013 to combat illegal wildlife trade, said the series was shaped by firsthand accounts from rangers he’s met and the “vital yet unseen” work they do to protect the planet.
They’re “unsung heroes,” William told the audience. “I like to see the ranger as the glue between the human world we live in and the natural world.”
Chris Galliers, chair of the International Ranger Federation, echoed William, describing rangers as playing an “indispensable role in securing and maintaining the health of our planet.”
“Although often under resourced and supported, their tireless work secures our natural and cultural heritage and the stability of global economies, proving that environmental protection is deeply interconnected with human survival,” he said.
The series follows stories from rangers working in the Central African Republic, the Indian Himalayas, Mexico’s Sea of Cortez, South Africa’s Kruger National Park, Sri Lanka, and the Caru Indigenous land in Brazil.
William has spent years advocating for rangers and conservation teams. He has witnessed the risks firsthand, and has met those who patrol some of the world’s most volatile environments, where many have lost their lives while safeguarding nature.
“This is now one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet,” William said. “And really it shouldn’t be. Protecting the natural world, it shouldn’t be that dangerous.”
“At some point,” he added, “we have to say enough’s enough.”
William also reflected on the power of documentary storytelling, citing David Attenborough as a “big inspiration” during his childhood. The renowned veteran broadcaster’s ability to bring “wonderful parts of the world” into people’s homes is something “Guardians” also strives for, the heir to the British throne said.
“Any future we want from the natural world, has to come from the ranger community being valued, respected, seen,” William continued. “We value them, we care for them, and we hope that momentum builds, and that people support them.”
The series launches just weeks after William paid tribute to two rangers who were killed and another who was severely injured in an attack in Mozambique, which he described as “yet another brutal reminder of the immense sacrifices made by those protecting our natural world.”
In November, William announced a new life insurance initiative for rangers across Africa. The five-year financial package, funded in part by his foundation, will benefit 10,000 rangers, giving them access to health and life insurance cover, as well as opportunities for training and development.
The digital series, launched by United for Wildlife and co-produced with award-winning studio ZANDLAND, will premiere globally on BBC Earth’s YouTube and social channels on Friday with episodes released weekly.