Good Morning Britain presenter Susanna Reid delivered a stark and 'dangerous' warning to viewers during Tuesday's broadcast, following the tragic death of a wildlife ranger in Kenya.
A Sombre Start to the Morning Show
During the popular ITV programme on Tuesday, November 25, Susanna Reid and co-host Ed Balls guided audiences through the day's major stories. They were supported by Laura Tobin with weather updates and Ranvir Singh with the latest headlines. The show took a dramatic turn with an extraordinary conservation story from Africa.
Groundbreaking Footage and Grave Dangers
The presenting team revealed never-before-seen images of an endangered black rhino in the Kenyan wilderness. Ed Balls set the scene, stating, 'Ruthlessly hunted for their horns worth more than gold, black rhinos are now critically endangered. Fewer than 7,000 left in the wild.' He immediately highlighted that protecting them comes with 'real danger'.
Susanna Reid then introduced film director Tom Martienssen, who spent four years on the frontline with Kenya's rangers. His work culminated in a world-first: capturing the birth of a black rhino on film. 'Just a warning if you are a little squeamish,' Susanna cautioned audiences before showing the clip, describing it as the 'extraordinary moment' a female black rhino delivered a healthy calf.
Martienssen detailed the challenges, explaining they had followed several pregnant females for months. 'The first two gave birth in bushes late at night when no one was there, so this was our kind of last hope,' he shared. The director then turned to the perilous reality of the rangers' work, describing their role in stopping poaching and dealing with community conflict and organised crime.
The Ultimate Sacrifice for Conservation
The segment took a deeply sombre turn when Susanna Reid noted, 'One of the rangers was killed while you were filming.' Tom Martienssen confirmed the tragic event, revealing the ranger's patrol was ambushed from just two to three metres away. The ranger was killed and five of his colleagues were injured.
Despite this profound loss, Martienssen ended on a note of hard-won hope, asserting that the rangers are ultimately winning the battle. He concluded with the significant news that 'Kenya's poaching crisis has pretty much ended.'
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV1 and ITVX at 6am.
