Britain's Prince Charles has called on the international community to ensure India's wildlife is protected.
The heir to Britain's throne was joined by both his sons, William and Harry, at an international conference on Illegal Wildlife Trade here today where he called for action against poaching.
"It is crucial to understand that Asia's, specifically India's, wildlife is also being decimated and if the world's focus remains solely on Africa we risk losing South-East Asia's wildlife, which includes 20 per cent of the world's species," said the Prince of Wales, a long-term campaigner of wildlife conservation.
"The Global Tiger Initiative (GTI) - led by China, India, Russia and the 10 other tiger range states - has in its five years of operation demonstrated how a sustained high-level political commitment to a shared goal can result in significant accomplishments on the ground," he added in reference to some of the work being done in the region.
"Today, the government leaders assembled here will sign 'The London Declaration', committing to several bold new steps forward, including new pledges to address what is the most significant problem in my view - that of demand for and consumption of specific products from critically endangered wildlife.
Most recently, demand from Asia - particularly China - has fuelled the trade, but we also know that the United States and Europe are contributing to it," he told the conference.
Prince William, alongside his father, have played a major role in a series of wildlife conservation initiatives this week.
William addressed a symposium of leading conservationists gathered by his United for Wildlife umbrella organisation yesterday, and the royal father and son have starred in a video calling on the world to turn its back on illegally traded animal parts like ivory and rhino horn.
Charles has long been a champion of environmental issues.
