What we know about elephants dying under mysterious circumstances near the northern Botswana village of Seronga, north of the Okavango Delta
Category Archives: News
POACHED: Silverback mountain gorilla Rafiki killed – big blow for conservation tourism
Rafiki, one of Uganda’s most loved mountain gorilla silverbacks, has been killed by poachers in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
Open letter calls on the World Tourism Organization to ban wildlife interactions
Animal welfare & tourism groups call on the United Nations World Tourism Organization to ban captive wildlife tourism interactions
5,5 million hectare Chinko basin in CAR now under African Parks management
5,5 million hectare Chinko basin now under African Parks management – 25 year agreement signed with Central African Republic government
NEWSDESK: Blanket wildlife trade bans + SA venison market & zoonotic disease + call to halt big cat bone trade
Newsdesk: Blanket wildlife trade bans + SA venison market & zoonotic disease + call to halt big cat bone trade
>2,000 vultures now feared poisoned in Guinea-Bissau – largest mass mortality ever
Over 2,000 critically endangered hooded vultures have died across Guinea-Bissau of poisoning due to belief-based use.
NEWSDESK: Caged lions and Coronavirus + Maasai Mara poaching threat under lockdown + eco nightmare project for Limpopo River basin
Caged lions and Coronavirus + Maasai Mara poaching threat under lockdown + eco nightmare project for Limpopo River basin
NEWSDESK: Elephants kill 2 Zimbabweans + US$74bn Chinese wildlife trade explained + Coronavirus link to bats and pangolins (new research from China)
Elephants kill 2 in Zimbabwe + US$74bn Chinese wildlife trade explained + Coronavirus link to bats and pangolins (new research from China)
Coronavirus has finally made us recognise that illegal wildlife trade is a public health issue
The global Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic may prove to be an important moment in the attempts to address the illegal wildlife trade.
American parrot breeder wants to import wild-caught African grey parrots for a captive breeding scheme for the pet trade
An American parrot breeder has applied to import wild-caught endangered African grey parrots into the United States of America
COVID-19: Will African governments now crackdown on illegal wildlife trade?
With COVID-19 killing people and wrecking economies, will African governments at last treat wildlife trade as a serious issue?
Poachers kill white giraffes in Kenya
The famous white giraffes of Kenya have been dealt a devastating blow, as 2 of the 3 are killed by poachers, leaving only a bull giraffe.
The death of ‘Julian’, one of Africa’s last great tuskers
Another of Africa’s great tuskers has died of natural causes.
Lightning kills 4 mountain gorillas
Lighting has killed four mountain gorillas in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda – including one pregnant female and one baby.
RIP: Tim the iconic elephant dies
RIP TIM. Africa has lost an icon – Tim the super-tusker from Kenya’s Amboseli has died at age 50 of natural causes. We celebrate Tim’s life with some of the best images ever take on him.
Latest rhino poaching stats: shades of grey
Rhino poaching stats released by South African government do not tell the true story of how dire the situation is, say STROOP team
Iona NP in Angola joins African Parks
The Angola Government and African Parks have signed a management agreement for the vast 15,200 km² (1,5 million hectares) Iona National Park, initiating their first partnership to ensure the long-term protection of one of the country’s largest protected areas. Iona is an iconic southern Angolan desert landscape, extending from its Atlantic coastline over dunes, plains …
Akagera NP (Rwanda) tourism revenue up 25%
Conservation success story – Rwanda’s Akagera National Park’s growth continues with a 25% growth in revenue in 2019.
Victoria Falls drying up? Fake news versus fact
Victoria Falls is not running dry, despite what some international news media keep telling us. Here are the facts.
Breaking: copper mine in Lower Zambezi NP cancelled
The planned open-pit Kangaluwi copper mine in Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park WILL NOT proceed, says the Zambian government
Saving the Northern White Rhino: Third Embryo Successfully Created
International scientists and Kenyan conservation authorities have successfully created the third viable embryo of the near-extinct northern white rhino. The global initiative has taken yet another step in the long journey to pull this subspecies back from the brink.
Another mass vulture poisoning raises alarm in South Africa
Yet another mass vulture poisoning raises alarm bells that deliberate poisoning of vultures for belief-based use is on the increase, say experts.
Elephant poaching decimates key Gabon reserve
Elephant population in Gabon’s Minkébé National Park have been decimated, with 25,000 being poached in 10 years (80% reduction), says research results.
Large herd of elephants seen in Nigeria’s war-torn northeast
In an exciting discovery, a previously-unknown herd of 250-300 elephants has been spotted in Nigeria’s far northeast corner, making it the first reported sighting of elephants in the region since the Boko Haram insurgency began a decade ago.
Smoked baby chimpanzee on hotel menu, says NGO
Smoked baby chimpanzee on the menu at prominent DRC hotel, says NGO.
Mountain gorilla population continues to rise
Great news! The population of mountain gorillas is on the rise, and now stands at an estimated 1,063 individuals.
Collared elephant hunted in Botswana, tracking device destroyed
A large bull elephant carrying a research collar with a tracking device has been killed by trophy hunters in Botswana, and the tracking device destroyed.
Lions in Gorongosa show population increase
Lions in Gorongosa National Park (Mozambique) are benefitting from better conservation measures, and show a population increase to 146, the nature reserve announced on Wednesday.
Riff Raff the “problem” elephant receives extended protection against destruction
Good news as Riff Raff – the “problem” elephant destined to be destroyed – has been granted extended protection at his current reserve by the South African High Court.
Critically endangered addax antelope to be reintroduced in Chad
The critically endangered addax antelope is to be brought back from the edge of extinction through reintroducing captive-bred species into the wild in Chad.
Katavi National Park takes radical action on hippos
Opinion by biologist: Controversial dam being built in Tanzania’s remote Katavi National Park to save hippos may have negative environmental consequences.
Matusadonha National Park to be managed and restored by African Parks and Zimbabwe government
Zimbabwe’s iconic Matusadonha National Park will now be managed by African Parks and the government in a bit to secure the park and restore wildlife populations.
Large illegal logging operation uncovered in Mozambique
Security operation uncovers large illegal logging operation in Mozambique.
Breaking: Campaigners outraged as Zimbabwe exports 30+ baby elephants to Chinese zoos
More than 30 wild-caught baby elephants, held captive for nearly a year in Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe, have been flown out of the country via Victoria Falls Airport en route to Chinese zoos.
Celebrated tusker Matt dies in Kenya
One of north Kenya’s largest tuskers, a celebrated bull elephant called Matt, has sadly died – of natural causes.
Okapi conservation gets a boost, with new DRC reserve management partner
Okapi conservation has received a boost, with the signing of a new management agreement for The Okapi Wildlife Reserve in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Update: Open-cast copper mine given go ahead inside Lower Zambezi National Park
TRAGEDY for Zambian conservation as court gives go ahead to mine inside Lower Zambezi National Park.
Severe drought affecting elephants and other wildlife in Mana Pools
Severe drought in Mana Pools is affecting elephants and other wildlife – a photographer shares her images and thoughts.
Malawi: On the frontline in the fight against illegal wildlife trade
Malawi may be one of the continent’s most peaceful nations, but it is currently locked in a fierce battle to protect some of the world’s most threatened species of wildlife.
Crunch time as Zambia’s Lower Zambezi NP comes under mining threat
Will Lower Zambezi National Park in Zambia be mined? The courts will decide soon whether to allow the proposed controversial open-cast copper mine inside the park. The decision on whether it will go ahead will be handed down on 14 October by the High Court of Zambia in Lusaka.
Botswana elephant hunting: Chaos and disillusionment as citizen licenses are raffled
Botswana elephant hunting: Eight elephant hunting licenses were awarded to Maun-based Botswana citizens, and the eight winners and almost 6,000 losers were unhappy with the results when the reality of the T&Cs set in.
Zimbabwe elephants: Report identifies existing conservation problems, calls for community involvement
Zimbabwe elephants: Report fingers ZimParks for incompetence and international NGOs for hoodwinking donors, concludes that surrounding communities have to be involved in conservation as beneficiaries.
Lions in Zambia are roaming across areas thought uninhabitable for them
Research: Lions are sneaking virtually undetected through dense human zones in Zambia, thereby ensuring genetic diversity throughout the entire Zambian lion population.
New report reveals the value of lions and their landscapes
The New Lion Economy is the first project of its kind to make the link between ecosystem services, economic development, cultural significance and the survival of lions.
Trophy hunting in Zambia to be suspended due to non-payment of hunting fees to communities
Trophy hunting in Zambia has been halted because communities have not been paid their fees and share of revenue.
Incredible sighting: Rare spotted zebra foal sighted in Maasai Mara
A rare spotted zebra foal with what appears to be pseudo-melanistic colouring has been sighted in the Maasai Mara in Kenya.
Saving Spots – a new initiative to protect wild cats in southern Africa
A new project called Saving Spots has been launched to protect declining wild cat populations using synthetic leopard, serval and lion furs, known as ‘Heritage Furs’.
Lion pride kills more than 40 goats in Namibia, in two separate attacks
More than 40 livestock have been killed in a few days by a lion pride in two different locations in the Kunene region in Namibia.
CITES CoP18 – most controversial one ever? Here are the results for African species
CITES CoP18 – all the results for African species, including rulings for elephant and rhino trade that have some African range states questioning their ongoing participation in CITES.
Rhinos: Trade in horn and increase trophy hunting, says Minister. Have your say, within 30 days
South African minister wants white rhinos downlisted on CITES so that horn can be traded internationally, and she wants more black rhino to be trophy hunted. Read this important post, and have your say.