The Prince and Princess of Wales and their children have named an eastern grey kangaroo ‘Cwtch,’ which is Welsh for cuddle, at Australia Zoo, according to BBC.
Conservationist Robert Irwin, the son of Steve Irwin, made the announcement from the zoo in Queensland in a joint Instagram post with the Wales family.
In a video message with kangaroos surrounding him, Irwin thanked the younger royals - Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis - for coming up with the name.
“[Cwtch] is the absolute perfect name for a joey kangaroo, 'cause at this age, they love a cuddle and they spend most of their time inside that pouch with their mum,” he said.
“Cwtch is now proudly part of our family here at Australia Zoo.”
Pronounced “kutch”, Irwin said he invited the Wales family to help name the baby kangaroo as part of efforts to put a global spotlight on conservation.
“Thank you for your support with our wildlife conservation efforts. It is so important that we conserve all of our animals, including the icons, the kangaroos,” he said in his video message.
“These guys play a very important role in the Australian bush, and out there in the ecosystem, they are just crucial,” Irwin said. “With all of the animals that we support and all of the wildlife conservation efforts that we have around the world, it's all about making sure we give back to the wildlife and the wild places where they live.”
Prince William has been an advocate for conservation, with his work as an ambassador for The Earthshot Prize - a global initiative he created to drive innovative solutions to the world's most pressing environmental challenges.
Irwin works with the prince through amplifying projects focused on protecting and restoring nature, which also aligns with his own global charity called Wildlife Warriors.
Eastern grey kangaroos are an Australian species that helps maintain healthy ecosystems for other animals, insects and plants.
However, the effects of habitat loss, climate change and human activity remains a threat.
