Prince William pays tribute to hero wildlife ranger who risks his life to protect rhinos, elephants and lions from armed poachers

• Praised Edward Ndiritu's 'extraordinary contribution' to conservation
• Mr Ndiritu, 42, is head of the anti-poaching unit at the Lewa Conservancy
• Protects the sanctuary's 72 black rhinos - 12 per cent of Kenya's total
• Thanks to poaching, just 5,000 black rhinos remain in the wild 
• 22 rangers have been murdered worldwide so far this year  

By Ruth Styles for MailOnline

Published: 05:05 EST, 5 August 2015 | Updated: 07:19 EST, 5 August 2015

The Duke of Cambridge has paid tribute to a Kenyan wildlife ranger in recognition of his 'extraordinary contribution' to conservation.

His intervention came after Edward Ndiritu, the head of the anti-poaching unit at the Lewa Conservancy in northern Kenya, became the first winner of the Tusk Trust's Wildlife Ranger Award.

In a letter written to the 42-year-old ranger, Prince William went on to praise the protection work he does, adding that his patrols have also 'increased security' for local villagers.

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Praise: William has heaped praise on a Kenyan ranger tasked with protecting black rhinos (such as the captive animal pictured) and other animals on the 62,000 acre Lewa Conservancy in northern Kenya

He continued: 'May I take the opportunity to personally congratulate you on this richly deserved award and to thank you for the extraordinary contribution you and your team at the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy have made towards both the protection of wildlife and increased security for the rural communities of northern Kenya.'

The award was presented to Mr Ndiritu by the Tusk Trust, a wildlife charity of which William is royal patron.

Lewa, which covers 62,000 acres of virgin forest and savannah, is home to a number of endangered species,  among them the critically endangered black rhino.

The sanctuary is home to 72 of the animals - 12 per cent of Kenya's total population - as well as 65 white rhinos.

Both species are threatened by a surge in poaching driven by the Far Eastern appetite for rhino horn, which has been credited with almost magical powers of healing by traditional doctors.

Edward Ndiritu receives letter written by Prince William

Delighted: Edward Ndiritu, the head of the anti-poaching unit at Lewa, reacts to his letter from the prince

Stunning: The beautiful Lewa Conservancy is also home to the endangered Grevy's zebra and other wildlife

Critical: Black rhinos such as the ones pictured are in desperate straits and just 5,000 still exist in the wild

As a result, the world's population of black rhinos has plummeted to just 5,000 with the majority found in South Africa, Kenya, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

Other animals living under Mr Ndiritu's protection on the Lewa Conservancy include elephants, a small herd of critically endangered Grevy's zebra and a number of big cats.

The local pride of 22 lions is led by a big male named Mufasa and there is also a small pack of African Wild Dogs - another dangerously endangered species.

William's comments come hot on the heels of the furore surrounding the death of another male lion, Cecil, who was shot by a hunter after being lured out of a Zimbabwean wildlife sanctuary. 

Support: The Duchess of Cambridge, pictured at a 2012 event, is also a supporter of the Tusk Trust

Patron: Prince William is patron of the Tusk Trust and regularly speaks out on its behalf

The death of the lion, who was being tracked as part of a research project, caused outrage around the world and led to protests outside the Minnesota surgery of dentist Walter Palmer.

Mr Palmer shot the animal with a bow and arrow during a hunting safari in the country in June.

Although lions aren't as endangered as rhinos, the population across Africa is now thought to be around 30,000 - with numbers declining due to loss of habitat and conflict with farmers. 

Many of those who do survive live in protected wildlife conservancies such as Lewa and are protected by rangers - many of whom risk serious injury and even death in battles with poachers.

According to figures released by NGO The Thin Green Line Foundation to mark World Ranger Day last week, 22 rangers have been murdered while defending wildlife this year alone.

Among them were three working in neighbouring Uganda and two in the Democratic Republic of Congo - both home to the critically endangered Mountain Gorilla. 

Writing in the Evening Standard, Tusk Trust CEO Charles Mayhew described the struggle to keep animals safe as a 'brutal' war.

'The men and women on the front line of this conflict are the wildlife rangers who risk their lives to confront well armed and well organised poachers hunting Africa’s “white gold”,' he wrote.

'Already more rangers have been killed in the recent poaching crisis than British servicemen in the Iraq and Afghan conflicts of the last decade.'

He added: 'Across Africa it is the likes of Edward Ndiritu and his team of rangers who use military-style tactics to thwart poachers night after night. 

'That is why Tusk, the Giants Club and, I hope, everyone reading this will keep doing all they can to support them.' 

THE CRITICAL LIST: THE AFRICAN WILDLIFE UNDER THREAT 

BLACK RHINO

Both species of African rhino are vulnerable, with black rhinos now down to a wild population of just 5,000. 

White rhinos have fared better and 20,000 remain in the wild but these are also sustaining huge losses as a result of poaching. 

RIVERINE RABBIT

Just 250 Riverine Rabbits remain, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature [IUCN].

At risk: Around 3,000 Grevy's zebra remain in the wild and are threatened by habitat loss

Hunted: African Wild Dogs are hunted due to their habit of preying on domestic livestock

Handful: Just 800 Mountain Gorillas remain in the wild - many have fallen victim to hunting and war

Unlike the rhino, the biggest threat to the rabbit is farming - their South African Karoo Desert home is considered prime agricultural land.

ETHIOPIAN WOLF

Living exclusively in the Ethiopian Highlands, habitat loss is the main reason for the precipitous decline of the Ethiopian Wolf population.

Around 400 individuals remain in the wild, although encroachment from farmers and disease carried by domestic dogs is putting it under further pressure.

GREVY'S ZEBRA 

With a population of around 3,000 individuals, the Grevy's zebra is critically endangered and is found exclusively in Kenya and Ethiopia.

Threats include habitat loss and competition with domestic cattle, although the original decline was due to hunting in the 1970s when its skin was highly prized.

MOUNTAIN GORILLA

Now found only in a small section of rainforest straddling the three-way border between Uganda, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, just 800 gorillas still live in the wild.

Half of these live in the DRC's Virunga National Park where, among other issues, they are under threat from local militias who kill them for bushmeat.

Civil war in the country has also had an impact, with many killed in the fighting and losing habitat to refugees.

Animals living in Uganda's Bwindi National Park and in Rwanda are protected by law and, as a result, are gaining ground there.

AFRICAN WILD DOGS

They might not be one of the continent's most loveable creatures but African Wild Dogs are now among its most endangered.

Around 5,000 remain in the wild across the continent, including in Zambia, Namibia and Kenya, and face threats ranging from hunting to habitat loss.

DON'T FORGET...

Other seriously threatened African animals include the chimpanzee, the African penguin, Rothschild's Giraffe and the leopard. 

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