On the afternoon of the 15th of July 2013 an Ezemvelo KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Wildlife light aircraft spotted a large number of vultures lying on the ground on New Hope farm, in Swartberg, during a routine game count. Ezemvelo KZN alerted the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and the African Birds of Prey Sanctuary (ABoPS), and the partner NGOs visited the site early the next … [Read more...]
An urgent threat to the Great Barrier Reef
Australia’s legendarily irresponsible mining industry has a new plan: while the planet faces catastrophic climate change, build the world’s largest coal mining complex, and then build a shipping lane to that port straight through the greatest ecological treasure we have - the Great Barrier Reef! This is a terrible idea with devastating consequences, and the investor group … [Read more...]
Annual butterfly migration doomed
Imagine a Christmas tree so covered in ornaments that you can barely make out the foliage underneath. Now, instead of candy canes, snowflakes and Santa Claus figurines, picture millions of small black, white and orange butterflies dangling from the branches, leaves and trunks of trees in central Mexico. Every year, between November and March, oyamel, oak and pine forests on … [Read more...]
3 suspected rhino poachers arrested
Police in Limpopo have arrested three suspected rhino poachers believed to have been on their way to shoot and dehorn rhinos in Phalaborwa. The trio was arrested on Sunday in Hoedspruit after police received information about suspected poachers with the aim to shoot and dehorn the animals at a private game farm. Police spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi said the … [Read more...]
Most land animals threatened by rapid climate change
A study has shown that the speed of evolutionary change is far outstripped by the rate of global warming, meaning many creatures will face extinction. Among the many strange mantras repeated by climate change deniers is the claim that even in an overheated, climate-altered planet, animals and plants will still survive by adapting to global warming. Corals, trees, birds, … [Read more...]
Saving endangered Cape Parrots
With less than 1,000 adult Cape parrots left in the wild, Dr Steve Boyes has to make conservation count. From rehabilitating parrots with a devastating disease to building nest sites in their increasingly degraded natural habitat, he puts his heart and soul into an otherwise scientific enterprise. We have been fascinated by parrots, their colors, characters and voices for … [Read more...]
In the jaws of extinction
While the world's attention is on the threat to the rhino, a new study has found that the great white shark might be in even greater danger of becoming extinct than previously thought. The study by marine biologists from the Dyer Island Conservation Trust at Gansbaai in the southern Cape found that the total number of great white sharks in Gansbaai might be as much as 50% … [Read more...]
Marathon highlights focus on conservation in Africa
Tusk in partnership with Safaricom held the world-renowned Safaricom marathon which took place in Kenya last week. The marathon was run across one of Tusk’s flagship projects, Kenya-based wildlife sanctuary the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy. The event was a huge success, drawing 1,200 runners from over 35 different countries—all excited to raise funds for conservation and community … [Read more...]
The terrible tale of tuna
Are the words “dolphin-friendly” or “dolphin-safe” on local tuna cans truthful, considering that most of our canned tuna seems to be imported from the Philippines, or Thailand? This is also where it is very common for dolphins to get caught up in tuna fishing nets and subsequently killed. This is the issue I tried to clear up with some research. Some fishermen purposely … [Read more...]
uMngeni River source declared SA’s 21st important wetland
The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and World Wide Fund for Nature South Africa (WWF-SA) welcome the South African government’s recent decision to designate the uMgeni Vlei Nature Reserve as the country’s 21st Ramsar site. The Ramsar Convention (The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat) is an international treaty for the … [Read more...]
Traceability a major need for SA’s meat
A dairy cow’s fall in the back of a truck in the Overberg last week, puts focus yet again on the dire need in South Africa for traceability from farm to fork. Marina, an export fruit farmer from Grabouw, told Animal Voice’s Louise van der Merwe that her journey along the N2 on Wednesday last week, developed into a distressing effort to help a cow that had fallen in the truck … [Read more...]
Life-sized lion comes to Cape Town
Shamwari Group has unveiled its life-size lion sculpture painted by renowned local artist, Andile Dyalvane. Andile kindly joined forces to help support not only Shamwari Group but the Pride of Cape Town, the public arts event set to launch at the V & A Waterfront this month, masterminded by the Born Free Foundation and Wild in Art. Andile spent time at Shamwari Game … [Read more...]
A contribution to rhino anti-poaching considerations
The Sophia Foundation supports and promotes a reverence and love for all living beings and the natural environment. The impulse to write this paper comes out of a deep concern for the rhino that are being killed for their horn. We ask why it is that despite all the money and efforts being spent on anti-poaching the rhino death toll is escalating at a rate that threatens the … [Read more...]
