They're among the world's oldest species of mammal. Rhinoceros and their ancestors have been around for nearly 55 million years and, at one time or another, nearly 100 different species of these incredible creatures have roamed the planet. Now, only five species remain — white, black, greater one-horned, Javan and Sumatran — and three of those are critically … [Read more...]
Let’s help relocate rhinos to less violent pastures
There is a massive international effort afoot to raise money to relocate 100 rhinos away from the devastating poaching syndicates of South Africa to Botswana, where poaching rates are low. It’s crucial we act now, because over 1,000 rhinos are being killed for their horns annually. At this rate they’ll all be gone in 20 years. And I simply can’t stand the thought that my … [Read more...]
New deal to help Mozambique combat wildlife crime
A historic deal between the Government of Mozambique, Joaquim Chissano Foundation and Peace Parks Foundation will strengthen Mozambique’s efforts to combat wildlife crime by supporting the development of dedicated anti-poaching operations in and around Limpopo National Park - an integral component of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park and Conservation Area. The project … [Read more...]
Magaliesberg Leopard ventures back into the wild
A pregnant leopard named Brandy was snared in Magaliesberg recently. According to a statement released by Johannesburg City Parks, she was released back into the wild after two operations to treat her open wounds. “Since her capture and treatment, the team involved has worked diligently to give her and her three unborn cubs the best possible chance of survival in the … [Read more...]
Hope Spots to save the blue heart of the planet
This December marks a big step forward for the conservation of our country's marine habitats. South Africa is a country defined by diversity- from the many cultures that constitute its people, to the astounding variety of ecosystems that exist side-by-side like a showcase of Nature’s beauty. Our coastline especially reflects this incredible diversity. Think of the … [Read more...]
Sparring with fishermen over world’s largest marine reserve
President Obama’s proposal in June to expand a marine sanctuary around seven U.S.-controlled islands and atolls in the central Pacific Ocean drew immediate praise from scientists and conservationists, but has since sparked opposition from representatives of the tuna industry, including fishermen in Hawaii who say it would threaten their livelihood. The tuna fishermen oppose … [Read more...]
Join Clean-Up and Recycle Week SA this month
September is traditionally the month in which South Africans from all walks of life are encouraged to “spring clean” the environment in celebration of the arrival of spring. This year, the annual Clean-Up and Recycle Week SA will be taking place from the 15th to the 20th of September, culminating in National Recycling Day SA on Friday, 19 September and the 29th International … [Read more...]
Dutch grant helps combat rhino poaching
Since February this year, when the Dutch Postcode Lottery in Holland announced that Peace Parks Foundation was the primary beneficiary of a €14.4 million grant from its Dream Fund, the team behind the Foundation’s Rhino Protection Programme has made notable progress in combatting wildlife crime and protecting the endangered rhinoceros from criminal exploitation. The lottery … [Read more...]
736 down this year - the unforgettable cry of a wounded rhino
“They say that the cry of a wounded rhino never leaves you… It is the sound you hear when a rhino wakes with half its face and struggles to its feet, dazed and confused, into a fate it will never understand.” This is an extract from Courage in the Loss of Hope By Lauren Daisy Flynn referring to a poaching incident in Kariega Game Reserve near where I live in Mpuma Coloni. … [Read more...]
Joining forces to protest Arctic seismic testing
Greenpeace and the Inuit have joined forces to protest Arctic seismic testing, warning that plans to gauge oil and gas reserves with high-intensity sound waves in Baffin Bay and the Davis Strait pose grave dangers to marine life. Inuit activists are staging a protest Wednesday in Nunavut's Clyde River, a tiny Baffin Island hamlet just above the Arctic Circle, a week after … [Read more...]
New study proves: Livestock is safer from predators with guardian animals
Guardian animals offer far better livestock protection than lethal methods, according to new research. They’re more effective, need less work, and are cheaper. A formal study of eleven South African livestock farms has revealed that lethal methods to combat livestock losses to predators are not only less practical but more costly than non-lethal methods. The report, by … [Read more...]
More than 500 rhino killed by poachers in 2014
Some 558 rhino have been killed in South Africa already this year, setting the country on course for a gruesome new record number of poaching deaths, wildlife officials said on Thursday. Despite stepped-up efforts to curb the scourge, the number of animals killed is around 100 higher than at the same point in 2013, a year which saw a record 1,004 deaths. The vast, … [Read more...]
Altered marine food webs threaten food security
A new scientific analysis shows that urgent action is needed to reverse the tide of ecological decline in the ocean that threatens economies, societies and nature, says the Global Ocean Commission. The analysis, by leading marine scientists with the International Programme on the State of the Ocean (IPSO) and International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), looks … [Read more...]
