News Archives - Page 4 of 7 - Africa Geographic

Understanding yellow fever

Yellow fever is a disease spread by the bite of infected female mosquitoes. We take a look at this disease and the readily available vaccine

First new widow spider species discovered in 29 years

Potentially the largest widow spider in the world has been discovered in the critically endangered sand forest of South Africa.

2 Countries want changes to white rhino CITES listings, to permit trade

Proposed changes in CITES have been released, with Namibia proposing to downlist its population of white rhinos to Appendix II, to allow only international commercial trade in live animals and hunting trophies, and Eswatini seeks to allow unrestricted international commercial trade in all specimens of its white rhino population, which is currently included in Appendix II.

Africa is divided over ivory trade ahead of wildlife meeting

Several African countries with some of the world’s largest elephant populations will push this year for looser controls on legal ivory trade, while another group of countries on the continent says more restrictions are the best way to curb the illegal killing of elephants for their tusks.

World’s rarest duck released back into the wild

A duck thought to be extinct for 15 years has been brought back from the brink and given a new home on a remote lake in Madagascar.

The winners of our Best Video Clip 2018 competition

Announcing the winners of our Best Video Clip 2018 competition! Take a look to see who has won the $500 prizes!

A great year for wildlife in Maputo Special Reserve

In a conservation success story, more than 4,200 animals have been translocated to Maputo Special Reserve since 2013 through a multi-year rewilding project led by Peace Parks Foundation.

4 Elephants die as mercy mission goes wrong during heatwave

Tragedy as four elephant bulls that were causing havoc in the Gravelotte area in Limpopo die during relocation attempt.

Opinion: Elephant experts respond regarding proposed citrus farm on Kruger border

Elephants Alive has released a comprehensive report regarding the proposed 120ha citrus farm development on the border of the Greater Kruger National Park.

West African giraffe return to Gadabedji after 50 years of absence

Eight West African giraffe travelled over 800 kilometres in 48 hours to be safely re-introduced to the Gadabedji Biosphere Reserve in Niger, after an absence of almost 50 years.

Famous super tusker Tim rescued from certain death

Tim, an icon of Amboseli and one of Africa’s largest and most magnificent elephants, has been rescued from certain death.

Lion bone quota now reduced to 800 skeletons from 1,500

The quota for the lion bone trade has been reduced from 1,500 to 800 lion skeletons, according to a media statement from the DEA.

Big news as Kruger National Park 10-year management plan approved by Minister

South Africa’s Acting Minister of Environmental Affairs Derek Hanekom has officially approved the ground-breaking and visionary 10-year Kruger National Park Management Plan.

New citrus farm on Kruger border – have your say

A citrus farming enterprise has purchased a small but ecologically pivotal farm on the border of the Klaserie and Timbavati private nature reserves (Greater Kruger) near the town of Hoedspruit, and plans to develop a citrus orchard in this vital game reserve area.

Balule responds regarding traumatising elephant hunt incident

Balule Nature Reserve responds to the incident regarding a traumatising elephant hunt.

Illegal collared elephant hunt in Greater Kruger – warden convicted

A warden has been convicted in court after a collared elephant was illegally hunted.

Video: Malawi gains new giraffe population in Majete Wildlife Reserve

Thirteen South African giraffe have been translocated over 2,500 km and safely released into Malawi’s Majete Wildlife Reserve, establishing its first population.

Lake Malawi fish species at risk of extinction

The latest update of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has revealed that overfishing is causing fish species in parts of the developing world to decline, with 9% of the 458 fish species assessed in Lake Malawi at high risk of extinction.

Rare conservation win: Mountain gorilla population ticks up

The IUCN has updated the status of mountain gorillas, officially changing them from ‘Critically Endangered’ – the highest level of threat – to ‘Endangered’.

Giraffes are in trouble, says IUCN status update

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species is once again drawing attention to the plight of giraffes.

Captive lion breeding and bone trade: MPs call for an end to the practice

The Environmental Affairs Committee has called for a policy and legislative review on captive lion breeding for hunting and lion bone trade.

Good news as China now reverses decision to lift ban on trade in tiger and rhino parts

China has postponed the lifting of a ban on the trade of rhino horn and tiger parts for medicine and other uses, the government said on Monday, after a storm of protest from conservation groups over a plan to water down the decades-old prohibition.

Scientists warn that the world’s wilderness areas are disappearing

Scientists reveal that just 23% of the world’s landmass can now be considered wilderness, with the rest lost to the direct effects of human activities.

China lifts ban and legalises tiger bone and rhino horn for medical purposes

China has revised a law on the ban of rhino horn and tiger bone products that would now allow domestic trade and use of the products for scientific, medical and cultural purposes.

SA rhino film wins top awards at US film festivals

The South African feature documentary STROOP – Journey into the Rhino Horn War has won the coveted Best Documentary award at the prestigious San Diego International Film Festival held this past weekend.

Kruger 10-year management plan

SANParks has released its Kruger National Park management plan covering the next 10 years. This 259-page report is essential reading for Kruger fans who enjoy debating the issues that the Kruger management team has to deal with on a regular basis, such as problem-animal management, hotels in Kruger and trophy hunting of free-roaming wildlife on reserves adjoining Kruger.

Social media’s role in advertising illegal wildlife trade, including cheetah trafficking

Cheetah Conservation Fund data analysis confirms social media role in advertising illegal wildlife trade, including trafficking of cheetahs for illegal pet trade.

DEA announces 2018 rhino and elephant poaching stats to date

The South African Department of Environmental Affairs announces 2018 rhino and elephant poaching stats to date.

Elephant hunting: Botswana initiates month-long consultation process

Botswana initiated on Wednesday a month of public hearings to decide whether to lift the 2014 hunting ban, including elephant hunting.

Skye the lion hunting furore: Parliament wants Kruger NP agreement with private reserves revised

Environmental Affairs committee believes agreement between Kruger National Park and private reserves should be revised.

Scientists question BBC reporting over elephant poaching crisis in Botswana

A group of prominent scientists have questioned the reporting by the BBC of the elephant poaching crisis in Botswana.

Video: 500 animals journey from Kruger to Zinave

The past two months saw the translocation of zebra, blue wildebeest and impala from Kruger National Park in South Africa to Zinave National Park in Mozambique. The overall goal is to reintroduce 7,500 game animals in Zinave over the next five years and to date over 1,300 animals have been rewilded to the park.

Elephant poaching: Botswana gov provides context, questions irresponsible reporting

The government of Botswana responds to the recent reports alleging that about 90 elephants were killed recently.

Namibian ‘problem’ lion dies during relocation, remaining five are safe in a private reserve

Tragedy as a Namibian desert-adapted lion dies during relocation. This follows two unsuccessful attempts to relocate six ‘problem’ lions to a national park. The five remaining lions are now safe in a private reserve.

Oral vaccination protects Ethiopian wolves – Africa’s most endangered carnivore

Over the past month, a team from the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme (EWCP) implemented the first oral vaccination campaign to pre-empt outbreaks of rabies among Ethiopian wolves, the world’s most endangered canid, in their stronghold in the Bale Mountains of southern Ethiopia.

‘Rise of the Matriarch’: International crew for SA-led all-women conservation expedition

12 Women from around the world are gearing up for a 50-day conservation adventure from South Africa into Southern Africa. The Journeys with Purpose: Rise of the Matriarch expedition will see the all-women crew travel 9,000 km across four countries to raise awareness about the contentious human-wildlife conflict.