DAKAR – A shocking FOUR out of six endangered black rhinos – that were relocated to Chad from South Africa – have tragically died, possibly of starvation, the two countries and an NGO said. The six rhinos were transferred from South Africa in May, re-introducing the species into Chad for the first time since it […]

With heavy hearts, the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital announced Thursday morning that the baby pangolin – named Menina – that they were trying so desperately to save with a world first technique, has sadly passed away. “We’ve spent just over a week fighting for a baby pangolin that barely stood a chance due to the […]

BEIJING – China unveiled new rules on Monday that would allow the use of rhino horn and tiger parts for some medical and cultural purposes, watering down a decades-old ban in a move conservation group WWF said could have “devastating consequences”. China’s State Council issued a notice replacing its 1993 ban on the trade of […]

N’DJAMENA – Two of six critically endangered black rhinos – relocated to Chad in May – have tragically died, Zakouma National Park’s management said, undermining efforts to restore their population in Chad after a nearly 50-year absence. Before the transfer of the six rhinos from Addo Elephant National Park in South Africa in May, the […]

A heartbreaking photo of a bottlenose dolphin mother was captured in South Africa this weekend. Amongst a school of around 600 Indo-Pacific dolphins, the cow can be seen carrying her dead baby, reluctant to let it go… It’s a phenomenon known to marine scientists. Raggy Charters’ Lloyd Edwards, who took the tragic photo, said it […]

LUSAKA – Zambia has revived plans it suspended two years ago, after protests by animal rights activists, for the controlled slaughter of up to 2,000 hippos over the next five years, its tourism minister said on Monday. Charles Banda said the hippo population could not be supported by the water levels in the Luangwa river […]

The Department of Environmental Affairs has urged community members to assist the police and conservation authorities to combat rhino poaching. “Community members are the eyes and ears of the police. They are the people who hear or even know about illegal activities such as wildlife crime and rhino poaching,” the department said. The call follows the […]

A professional pipe bomb – probably planted by poachers – was found and detonated in the Kruger National Park early on Friday, according to local South African news reports. According to EWN it was “not a homemade device”, and once identified it was detonated by the bomb squad. The device was found after park rangers, […]

HANOI – Authorities in Vietnam seized 13 rhinoceros horns and related items from South Africa on Friday, just two weeks after the seizure of a ton of illegal wild life products, state media said. Vietnam is a major consumer of rhino horn (which is mistakenly believed to have medical powers) and is a transit point […]

The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Regional Court President exposed in a recent BBC documentary for alleged corruption, linked to rhino poaching in South Africa, has been provisionally suspended. After considering the advice of the Magistrates Commission, Minister Michael Masutha on Friday 5 October 2018 provisionally suspended Nzimande from office. Nzimande has become embroiled in allegations of bribery […]

Take a virtual walk into the heart of the Kruger, South Africa. Western Cape photographer and videographer Justin Sullivan was involved in this very cool virtual reality production… that allows viewers to interact with the video and immerse themselves in “Africa’s hidden secrets”. The video showcases life on a walking safari in the Klaserie Private […]

NAIROBI – More African ivory is being smuggled into China from Myanmar and Beijing’s ban on trade in ivory has failed to dampen imports, a report by conservation group Save the Elephants said on Tuesday. Wildlife activists said they welcomed China’s ban this year on the ivory trade, arguing the step by a country that […]

A South African tourist – who has visited the Kruger National Park several times over the past 48 years – experienced a closer encounter with a lion than she’d ever dreamed of… especially since in the past few decades she says she’s needed binoculars and her imagination to spot lions! During Hannetjie van der Westhuizen’s […]

A male lion that went wandering out of the Kruger National Park this morning has been captured and returned safely to the Kruger. Linda from Our Life in Kruger facebook page said: “Excitement in our area when a lion was spotted on the N4 highway between Komatipoort and Hectorspruit early this morning. “The lion was […]

Over 500 rhinos were poached for their horns in South Africa in the first eight months of 2018… which while still horrific, is a 26 % drop from the 691 who were slaughtered in the same period last year, the Department of Environmental Affairs said on Friday as it released the latest South African rhino […]

South African rhino poaching documentary, STROOP, has been selected as the opening night screening for an international film festival in Germany, Europe. The elated producers called the invitation, to open the Wildlife Film Festival Rotterdam on 24 October, “unbelievable news”. “We feel really honoured as the festival director phoned us to tell us the good […]

South Africa is celebrating the world’s first lion cubs born through artificial insemination, which experts say is a pioneering moment in the conservation of the big cats. The fluffy pair were born on August 25, 2018 at the Ukutula Conservation Center in the North West province. They were conceived through non-surgical artificial insemination using fresh […]

The Johannesburg Zoo has announced the sad passing of Kinkel, a popular 35-year-old male elephant who died on Tuesday morning. The Zoo said it is in mourning for the legendary elephant which was born in the wild, but due to an injury from poachers landed up living in the zoo because he couldn’t be returned […]

The Botswana government has issued a statement refuting local and international reports of an alleged elephant poaching massacre that has resulted in the carcasses of 87 slain elephants being found near the Okavango Delta wildlife sanctuary. The 87 carcasses have been counted by Elephants Without Borders (EWB), a conservation nonprofit organisation that has been contracted […]

The explosive BBC World News documentary about rhino poaching in South Africa, which premiered around the world a couple of weeks ago, is now available to watch on YouTube. See below. The show lifts the lid on the alleged links between rhino poaching in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa, and the alleged corruption within KZN courts […]

South African-British endurance swimmer Lewis Pugh has made front page news in the UK, bringing much needed attention to the plight of the English Channel. Pugh, South Africa’s well known ocean advocate, completed #TheLongSwim of the English Channel yesterday. He didn’t just cross it like ‘normal’ people. He swam the entire LENGTH of the Channel. […]

Watch this awesome video footage of whales breaching at a holiday spot along KwaZulu-Natal’s South Coast. The footage was captured at Shelly Beach, showing the whales swimming very close to shore… to the delight of the children gathered behind the rock pool. WATCH Whales having a ‘whale’ of a time on KwaZulu-Natal’s South Coast https://www.facebook.com/lydia.truter.5/videos/1664826653626457/

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia has seized rhinoceros horns worth nearly $12 million bound for Vietnam, in its largest haul of such contraband, officials said last week. Wildlife experts say Malaysia is a major transit point for the illegal trafficking of endangered species to other Asian countries. Officials acting on a tip-off seized 50 horns, […]

Final touches are being made to an all-women 50-day conservation adventure from South Africa into Southern Africa. The Journeys with Purpose: Rise of the Matriarch expedition brings together 12 women from around the world who will travel 9 000km across four countries to raise awareness about the contentious human-wildlife conflict. Headed by Carla Geyser, a […]

Here’s a message of caution for anyone planning on visiting the gorgeous fields of wildflowers in the Western and Northern Cape at the moment… check the vicinity carefully before you lie down amongst the petals to pose for a photo! What looks like a beautiful gentle scene could actually have turned into a tragedy. Capetonian […]