JOHANNESBURG – Hope for the survival of the rhino in South Africa has just been given a boost by the announcement of a ‘rhino guardian’ initiative.  The SanWild Wildlife Trust – together with US-based Wild Africa Conservation Fund (WACF) – have announced that they have been working for months to establish the first-ever Private Intensive Protection […]

The bad news first… The trial of alleged #rhino #poaching #kingpin Dumisani Gwala was again postponed yesterday, this time to 21 October. Mr Ntshangase, the defense attorney representing Gwala’s co-accused 1 and 3, withdrew from the case. And then Gwala’s new defence attorney, Miss Linda, arrived 30 minutes late and requested a postponement because she […]

The past fortnight in KwaZulu-Natal has been brutal, one of the worst since the rhino poaching war began. According to veterinarian Dr Dave Cooper, over 14 rhino deaths were discovered in protected areas of the province in the last two weeks. Writing on his Facebook page, ‘Wild Vet’, Dr Cooper – who has been protecting South […]

Advocate Thuli Madonsela, the revered outgoing Public Protector of South Africa, has delegated the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Representative to attend the trial of Zululand’s alleged rhino poaching “kingpin” Dumisani Gwala, starting this Monday 19 September 2016. The trial was meant to start on 5 September, but was postponed because Gwala’s new defence attorney claimed she had […]

They say there are 1,500,000 wildebeest in the Serengeti migrating population, but it sure as heck feels like a lot more when you happen upon a bunch of them! By safari guide CRAIG DORIA. Sometimes, especially when you look across a narrow shallow valley, it feels like you are looking at the entire 1,500,000 in […]

A video showing close-up footage of a puffed-up Cape Rain Frog screaming in Tokai Forest in the Western Cape, South Africa, has gone viral… with the uploader of the video describing it as “hilarious footage” and many being very amused. But it turns out – according to experts – that the “bizarre shrieking noise” clearly shows […]

The Minister of Environmental Affairs (DEA), Edna Molewa, revealed today that South African National Parks (SANParks) has rescued 11 rhino orphans – due to poaching – during 2016. However, she said there are promising signs that rhino poaching is on a downward trend… BUT alarmingly elephant poaching is on the increase. Several private rhino owners and conservationists have commended the […]

Jamie Joseph, founder of Saving the Wild, has issued a statement regarding the postponement of yesterday’s much anticipated trial of alleged rhino poaching kingpin Dumisani Gwala. The trial was due to begin Monday but was yesterday postponed until 19 September 2016. Jamie’s statement said: “Gwala, who is believed to be responsible for as much as 80% […]

The trial of alleged rhino kingpin, Dumisani Gwala, which was due to start in KwaZulu-Natal today, has been postponed to 19 September 2016. Wildlife advocate and founder of Saving the Wild, Jamie Joseph, has campaigned tirelessly for the world to take note of this important court case and ensure justice is done in the fight against […]

Even goats enjoy a little bit of carefree time – watch these young goats jumping around on top of (rather patient) rhinos at the Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary. For at least one of the goats, it’s a case of “‘n boer maak ‘n plan” as by jumping on the rhino it’s able to reach […]

A very patient visitor to the Kruger National Park in South Africa has caught this gripping moment that a waterbuck pulled off a great escape from a crocodile. The sighting, posted by Latest Sightings, was filmed by 33-year-old Credit Controller Wynand Vosser, who in all his years visiting the Kruger had never seen a crocodile attempting a kill […]

Jamie Joseph, founder of Saving the Wild, has issued an urgent video message to everyone around the world who cares about South Africa’s rhino to please “MAKE A NOISE | SAVE #RHINOS” as the trial of an alleged rhino kingpin is due to begin on Monday. “Dumisani Gwala is out on bail right now,” says Jamie. “And […]

The first platter from #ThePlatterProject has gone to Advocate Thuli Madonsela, South Africa’s beloved outgoing Public Protector. Here, the artist’s daughter – LEGH WILKINSON – describes her meeting with Madonsela who told her that her mom and family are an inspiration… First – some background: The Platter Project consists of beautifully painted plates that showcase South Africa’s wildlife… particularly […]

Yikes, this American child was NOT impressed when her parents took her on a safari holiday to South Africa. Listen to her commentary as a lion charges their car. Although no names are given for who the tourists were who filmed this scene, the brother wrote: “We were on a safari in Kruger Park when […]

An American tourist on holiday in South Africa had a once-in-a-lifetime experience when she came across a leopard in her shower! Tally Angle, from North Carolina, posted photos to a Kruger National Park group on Facebook of the leopard “lounging in our outdoor lodge shower” at Singita Ebony Lodge. Tally posted several amazing photos of the […]

The owners of Sunland Farm in South Africa, home to one of the world’s most famous baobab trees, have a very pragmatic approach to the “breaking” news that one-third of their gentle giant’s trunk has crashed to the ground. Heather van Heerden says it’s simply “nature’s way of renovating”. Here’s the famous Sunland Baobab – […]

Could this be the future for rhino? A zoo in Tel Aviv, Israel, is celebrating the birth of a male white rhino, born to a 23-year-old white rhino – named Tanda – which the zoo received 13 years ago. The Zoological Center of Tel Aviv-Ramat Gan is renowned or its record-breaking rhino births, explained by its […]

Check out this giraffe being helped out of a swimming pool… somewhere in Africa. It’s not clear exactly when and where this incident took place, but the language (spoken by the humans!) is Afrikaans so it’s probably South Africa. The giraffe was apparently exhausted when it decided to take a dip in the pool… Watch Video: […]

The first litter of free roaming lion cubs in the area in over 130 years has been born in Mountain Zebra National Park outside Cradock in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The birth of the cubs comes after the successful re-introduction of two male lions into the 28,000ha Park in April 2013, followed by two females […]

South Africa’s rhinos have again fallen victim to the breathtakingly beautiful full moon which rose on Thursday evening… and was still shining bright last night. Passionate wildlife advocate Jamie Joseph, from Saving the Wild, reported Saturday evening that “#Zululand has suffered another devastating full moon slaughter in Hluhluwe iMfolozi. “I have wept over the #rhinos that have […]

CAPE TOWN – A young child has allegedly been killed at a lion sanctuary near Parys, in South Africa, today. Four Paws organisation says “another victim of canned hunting, this time a child”. According to FOUR PAWS, the incident occurred at the Otavi Lion Sanctuary. In a press release Thursday, Four Paws said that Parys Police Department confirmed […]

The rhino horn is the conservation ‘Horn of the Dilemma’… According to UK museum keeper Paolo Viscardi: “A rumour that Traditional Asian Medicine containing powdered rhino horn could treat and prevent cancer (has resulted in), aside from the poaching of rhinoceros, the black market interest in taxidermy and cultural artefacts made from rhino horn (and) in […]

Today marks the advent of World Lion Day – the first global campaign to not only celebrate the majestic animals, but to highlight the dire danger they are in as their numbers decline daily and they could face extinction in the wild by 2050. Only an estimated 20,000 lions remain in the wild, with some […]

The incredible moment a baby rhino’s life was saved by vets in South Africa – administering CPR – has gone viral around the world. Meha – an orphaned white rhino at Care for Wild Rhino Sanctuary – was undergoing dehorning surgery in Mpumalanga when its heart stopped. Four vets immediately administered chest compressions, whilst the Sanctuary’s co-founder, Chris […]

A day in the life of a ranger’s dog involves jumping into helicopters, tracking poachers in the national parks or searching for illegal firearms or rhino horn potentially hidden in vehicles entering or leaving the park. Ranger’s dogs are often the first responders to incidences of suspected poaching. The CSIR assisted the South African National […]