Prince William and Prince Charles are working hard to highlight the devastating effects of illegal wildlife trade.
The royal father-son duo released a video message today, urging people to show their support for organizations working to stop the exchange of illegal wildlife around the world.
The release of the joint video message kicks off a week of activities by the Duke of Cambridge and the Prince of Wales, who are teaming up to tackle the global crisis.
"We have come together, as father and son, to lend our voices to the growing global effort to combat the illegal wildlife trade," the 65-year-old royal says in the approximately 9-minute clip. "A trade that has reached such unprecedented levels of killing and related violence that it now poses a grave threat not only to the survival of some of the world's most treasured species, but also to economic and political stability in many areas around the world."
William and Charles explain how endangered species are killed at an unfathomably high rate, while highlighting the politically and economic effects of the illegal wildlife trade.
"Despite the terrible crisis that we now face, we both continue to be optimistic that the tide can be reversed," Kate Middleton's husband continues. "We have to be the generation that stopped the illegal wildlife trade, and secured the future of these magnificent animals, and their habitats, for if we fail, it will be too late."
The video, which was recorded in November at Prince Charles' home in London, ends with Their Royal Highnesses saying "Let's Unite for Wildlife" in Arabic, Vietnamese, Swahili, Spanish and Mandarin so that people living in the countries which are most affected by wildlife trade can also understand.
Following the release of the video message, William will attend the United for Wildlife Symposium at the Zoological Society London on Wednesday. The same day, he will attend a reception at the Natural History Museum, hosted by the U.K. government to mark the London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade.
Then on Thursday, William and Charles will attend the London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade, hosted by the U.K. Government of Lancaster house, where leaders from across the globe will meet to come up with a more permanent solution to protect the world's endangered species.
Prince Charles and his son have been longtime champions of both conservation and wildlife preservation.
The Duke of Cambridge currently serves as president of United for Wildlife and he has been Patron of Tusk Trust since 2005.