Prince Harry Swaps His Royal Duds For Saving Animals

The mission he chose to accept? Animal conservation.

He's no fictional action hero, but Prince Harry is trying to save the world in his own way.

The photos below show the dressed-down 31-year old on a trip this week to Kruger National Park in Kempiana, South Africa, viewing rhinoceroses that were killed by poachers and meeting with preservationists from the South African Wildlife College who are working around the clock to save the animals.

The visit brings extra recognition to an issue that's long been important to Harry.

Samir Hussein via Getty Images

He spent weeks working as a wildlife conservation volunteer in Tanzania, South Africa, Botswana and Namibia last summer, and this week released heartrending personal photos from that experience to coincide with his current trip.

"I know how lucky I am to have these experiences, but hearing stories from people on the ground about how bad the situation really is upset and frustrated me," Harry said in a caption posted to the official Kensington Palace Instagram account. "How can it be that 30,000 elephants were slaughtered last year alone? And for what? Their tusks? Seeing huge carcasses of rhinos and elephants scattered across Africa with their horns and tusks missing is a pointless waste of beauty."

His current trip isn't all serious, however, and Harry balanced out his royal tour of South Africa and Lesotho with a game of tag rugby in Durban. He also spent time at a nearby beach to watch surfers demonstrate skills they've learned from the mentoring organization Surfers Not Street Children, as well.

See more pictures from his tour below:

Samir Hussein via Getty Images
Prince Harry is shown the carcass of a rhino slaughtered for its horn in Kruger National Park, during an official visit to Africa on December 2, 2015 in Kempiana, South Africa.
Samir Hussein via Getty Images
Prince Harry viewed the carcass of a rhino slaughtered for its horn in Kruger National Park on December 2, 2015 in Kempiana, South Africa.
Samir Hussein via Getty Images
Prince Harry also met with specialist anti-poaching dogs while he visited the Southern African Wildlife College near Kruger National Park on December 2, 2015.
Chris Jackson via Getty Images
He learned bush ranger skills.
Samir Hussein via Getty Images
He was also given a demonstration on how rangers track animals.
Samir Hussein via Getty Images
Samir Hussein via Getty Images
Harry visited Durban beach to watch Surfers Not Street Children participants demonstrate surf skills on December 1.
Samir Hussein via Getty Images
ANESH DEBIKY via Getty Images
He also played a little tag rugby with children on the Sharks Rugby team at the Growth Point Kings Park Stadium on December 1, 2015 in Durban.
Pool via Getty Images
Prince Harry had some fun meeting team mascot Sharkie as he walked onto the pitch at Kings Park Stadium to join The Sharks rugby team.
Samir Hussein via Getty Images
Prince Harry lifts up four-year-old Sinentlantla Jacobs during a visit to Football For Hope Centre in Khayelistsha on November 30, 2015 in Cape Town, South Africa.

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