Prince William Visits Elephant Sanctuary Just Minutes From Circus

— -- Prince William visited an elephant sanctuary while on a historic trip to China today in hopes of raising awareness about the endangered animals.

“It is appalling that elephants and many others may be extinct in the wild in our lifetimes, and that we seem to be hurtling towards that tragic outcome,” the prince said in a speech.

The sanctuary is located in Xishuangbanna, a fast-developing area in southwestern China, where elephants are part of the culture. Just a few miles from the sanctuary is a local circus, where patrons line up to ride and get picked up by elephants that have had their tusks either cut or removed for safety.