Clearer numbers, urgent threats: what the latest data reveal about Africa’s forest elephants, and their ongoing Critically Endangered status
Category Archives: Decoding science
Botswana elephant hunting under scientific review
A new Elephants Without Borders report reviews Botswana’s elephant hunting system, scrutinising quotas, transparency & risks to mature bulls
How elephants navigate Gonarezhou’s fragmented corridors
Study shows how Gonarezhou’s elephants move beyond park borders, highlighting barriers, seasonality & urgent needs for corridor restoration
When should “clever” cheetah breed?
New research shows how cheetah mothers time breeding with baby booms of prey, boosting cub survival in changing African landscapes
Why do giraffes have such long legs?
Giraffes’ long legs ease heart strain from high blood pressure, revealing an energy-saving secret behind their towering height
Wildebeest migration: AI counts indicate low numbers
AI and satellites reveal lower wildebeest numbers in the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem offering a new view of Africa’s Great Migration
Eden to Addo: Cape wildlife corridors
Scientists map 40 potential wildlife corridors to link the Garden Route, Baviaanskloof & Addo: a vision of a Cape mega-living landscape
Ebony and ivory: a tale of two collapses
Elephants and ebony: new research reveals how Africa’s forest elephants sustain its darkest wood – and what happens when they vanish
Elephants and trees: the Kruger debate
A new study explores how stakeholder opinions differ on managing elephants, from culling to contraception, in APNR, Kruger
The Madikwe elephant dilemma
To cull or not to cull? Madikwe faces an elephant crisis that forces conservation discussions about culling, hunting and tourism. Expert Roger Collinson unpacks the trade-offs and stakes
Surprising secrets of African wild dog diets
New DNA analysis reveals surprising prey in African wild dog diets, reshaping our understanding and informing vital conservation strategies
Four giraffes, not one: Four species officially recognised
IUCN confirms four giraffe species, reshaping conservation across Africa and unlocking urgent, species-specific protection strategies
New study outlines risks of South Africa’s commercial lion farming industry
Study of 160+ sources finds no proof lion farming aids conservation – and warns it may fuel demand for lion body parts
Freshwater fish – the canaries of our rivers
Rare South African fish like the Barrydale redfin warn of our rivers’ decline – saving them means saving our freshwater lifelines
How bonobos flip the script on power
Female bonobos rise to power through coalition and cooperation, challenging dominance norms in the animal kingdom – and human assumptions
Why captive breeding won’t save wild parrots
Can commercial captive breeding of parrots reduce pressure on wild populations, or does it worsen the conservation crisis?
Leopards in the crosshairs: how trophy hunters are gunning for Africa’s elusive cats
Trophy hunters are targeting Africa’s leopards. A new report reveals the true cost of killing the cats we can’t afford to lose
Hornless hope: is rhino dehorning the most effective tool in saving the species?
Rhino dehorning slashes poaching by 78% – a bold, effective strategy that challenges how we think about wildlife crime prevention
How apes use sex to keep the peace
Research reveals bonobos & chimps use sex to resolve tension. Great ape sex offers insight into the evolutionary roots of human intimacy
Kruger lion population: declining in the north
A new survey sheds light on the state of the lion population in the north of Kruger, revealing trends that could shape future conservation efforts
Saving Hoedspruit’s leopards
Discover how the Ingwe Research Program studies Hoedspruit’s 140 leopards, using citizen science to track leopards & boost their conservation
Livestock, wildlife, and the future of the Maasai Mara
Do cattle in the Maasai Mara harm wildlife or land? Recent studies challenges exclusion policies and call for a new conservation approach
The science of counting Kruger’s elephants
New research says Kruger’s elephant numbers have been underestimated, with improved aerial surveys revealing a growing population of elephants
The unique roars of leopards
Leopards have unique voices. A groundbreaking study shows how researchers can identify these elusive cats by their distinct roars
Boko Haram, fishermen, and the threat to black crowned cranes
Lake Fitri, Chad’s vital bird habitat, faces threats as Boko Haram drives human migration, endangering black crowned cranes & waterbirds
Botswana elephants mass die-off solved – cyanobacteria theory affirmed by scientists
Hundreds of elephants mysteriously died in Botswana’s Okavango Delta in 2020. Scientists affirm cyanotoxins were the likely cause
African elephants – how many tuskers are left?
How many tuskers are left in Africa? We embark on an extended investigation to estimate the number of tuskers remaining on the continent
Elephant populations drop by 90% (forest) and 70% (savannah) in 53 years – study
Research has uncovered population density declines of 90% for forest elephants and 70% for savannah elephants across Africa in 53 years
Elephants, carbon markets, and the conservation of miombo woodlands
Discover the surprising link between carbon markets & elephants: how protecting Africa’s miombo woodlands benefits both climate & wildlife
Martial eagles hunt lion cubs in Maasai Mara
Martial eagles have been recorded hunting lion cubs in the Mara ecosystem. A new study delves into the extraordinary behaviour of this apex predator
The unbreakable baobabs: are Africa’s iconic trees here to stay?
Africa’s baobabs are tougher than we think. Despite climate change concerns, these iconic trees show resilience against the odds
Chimpanzee speak: New research reveals human-like conversations
Discover how new research reveals striking similarities between chimpanzee and human communication, deepening our understanding of primates
Flamingos in peril: East Africa’s flamingos threatened by rising lakes
Rising lake levels caused by climate change are threatening East Africa’s flamingos, pushing their iconic habitats to the brink
Necks for feeding or fighting? Giraffe evolution’s tallest debate
Is the giraffe’s long neck for feeding or sexual selection? The necks for sex or food dispute continues, with new findings re-kindling debate
Changing tastes: Why Zakouma’s lions are eating better
Improved management in Zakouma, Chad, has led to healthier prey populations. Lions now favour larger species & prides are getting bigger
Counting pink dots – a tale of machines, flamingos and rivers
Over 500,000 flamingos counted in Botswana’s Sua Pan using AI reveal vital conservation needs and the impact of climate change
Is an obsession with trees harming our grasslands?
Grasslands sequester carbon faster than trees, & are crucial in combatting climate change. Is an obsession with trees harming our grasslands?
Queleas added to hyena menu
Queleas have become an unexpected addition to the diet of spotted hyenas, showing hyenas’ adaptability and opportunism
Necks for sex or food? The driving force behind giraffe-neck evolution
Why do giraffes have such long necks? A new study questions whether feeding or mating played the bigger role in giraffe neck evolution
Are fenced lions happy?
Does lion pride behaviour change between fenced & open systems? Researchers monitoring lions in Kruger, Pilanesberg & more aim to find out
Saving European rollers – flyway conservation – how you can help
A decline in European rollers has ignited conservation of these birds & their flyways, boosting protection of rollers & other species
Why did the 3-legged lion swim the 1.5km croc-infested channel?
Watch: Researchers capture lions’ 1.5km swim through crocodile-infested waters, as lions search for new mates & territory
Can rhinos survive climate change?
Unable to cope well with prolonged periods of extreme temperatures, rhinos are particularly vulnerable to the increasing heat associated with climate change
Africa’s new ecoregion: Islands in the sky
A new ecoregion has been proposed for Southern Africa’s threatened ‘sky islands’, consisting of 30 isolated rainforest-covered mountains
Africa’s migratory animals under threat
UN report: Africa’s migratory animals – from wildebeest & birds, to dugongs & whales – are under threat due to habitat loss and climate change
KAZA elephants – new analysis adds vital details
An analysis of elephant population trends in KAZA shows a worrying increase in poaching, slowed population growth, negative population trends outside of protected areas, and the need for more accurate information to combat threats
How a wobbly earth and green Sahara led to the spread of humans
How did wobbles in the Earth’s rotation lead to the greening of the Sahara Desert, and the wider distribution of humans and other species?
The changing face of wattled crane conservation
Wattled cranes rely on wetlands and grasslands for survival – linking them to the human populations that depend on these ecosystems
Africa’s raptors on the brink: urgent conservation measures needed
Researchers have uncovered a looming extinction crisis for Africa’s birds of prey, painting a grim picture for the continent’s raptors
A hiatus in the hyena literature
A review of scientific literature on Hyaenidae reveals trends and gaps in the research on hyenas and other Hyaenidae species
