JOHANNESBURG (AP) " Britain's Prince Harry has been named the president of African Parks, a conservation group that manages a dozen wildlife areas across the continent.

Kensington Palace and Johannesburg-based African Parks announced the appointment on Wednesday, noting Harry's dedication to African conservation since he left the British military in 2015.

The conservation group says Harry has previously worked with its teams, participating in the 2016 relocation of elephants in Malawi and the reinstallation of GPS collars on three lions to help protect them.

African Parks CEO Peter Fearnhead says Harry's "influential role" will bolster efforts to help wildlife as well as people living in and around conservation areas.