Africa’s lions are disappearing. New research shows that lion populations across the continent have declined by 75% in just five decades
Category Archives: Decoding science
The elephant in the room – how social media attention misses more pressing conservation threats
Social media impacts conservation. Research shows that the attention elephants receive on Twitter fails to address urgent conservation issues
The state of Africa’s rhino
Here’s our analysis of the IUCN report containing the most recent rhino numbers, trends, poaching incidents, conservation measures & trade updates
Human-wildlife conflict: The ones that got away from snares and shotguns
Scientists can now detect injuries from snares & shotguns on trophy-hunted lions & leopards – quantifying the extent of previously unreported human-wildlife conflict
Elephants that creep in the dark – how elephants distinguish between human activities
Chobe elephants have learnt how to change their activity patterns to reduce risk of human encounters – new research
Lions target particular types of cows – research
Understanding how predators select cattle for prey could help in protecting livestock from lions, mitigating human-wildlife conflict
Five years until the Kalahari’s hornbills start to vanish
Scientists have predicted that the Kalahari’s hornbills will start to vanish in five years – and climate change is to blame
Hawaii’s conspicuous African chameleons
How did chameleons come to evolve their kaleidoscopic capacity? Escapees from the 1970s Hawaiian pet trade may hold the answer
Kids eat first: research on wild dog feeding habits
New research shows that there is order in wild dog hunts. Painted wolf pups are the first to eat at a carcass.
Giraffe evolution – pieces of the puzzle
Under pressure – genetic research on giraffes reveals evolutionary secrets of how they cope with high blood pressure and maintain bone density.
Making Hippocrates proud: How animals self-medicate
Scientists have observed chimpanzees medicating the injuries of their peers – a behaviour never before witnessed in the animal kingdom
Kalahari’s overlapping cheetah litters
A cheetah mother has been observed simultaneously raising two cheetah cubs of different age classes – behaviour never witnessed in the wild
Elephant bulls – breeding and trophy hunting
Does the hunting of elephant bulls with large tusks lead to the decline of Africa’s tuskers? We examine the science
Keeping count – wildlife populations in Kruger’s private nature reserves
Associated Private Nature Reserves (APNR), part of Greater Kruger, completed their 2021 wildlife census. We analyse the ebb & flow of results
Counting animals – the technology helping conservationists
Counting wild animals can be a complicated process, particularly when estimating populations in some of Africa’s massive protected wild areas
Caracals of Cape Town – navigating a landscape of fear
Caracals navigate the dangers of the urban Cape, attracted to the edge of urban spaces at a significant potential risk – new research.
Wildebeest sleep and the mysteries of slumber
Wildebeest sleep for just four and a half hours in a 24 hour period – most deeply in the dead of night – says new research
How the Kilimanjaro glaciers left truth in the cold
Kilimanjaro’s disappearing glaciers have been a symbol of climate change for more than than 15 years. Science says it is much more complicated.
Do tracking collars impact animals negatively?
New research indicates that animals fitted with tracking collars, experience no long-term, negative effects. Further research is needed however.
African grey parrots in traditional medicine
African grey parrots are targeted for medicinal and spiritual practices in West Africa. The trade is a significant threat to grey parrots – new research
Translocating lions does not reduce conflict – research
New research from Botswana shows that translocating lions in conflict with livestock owners is expensive and results in high lion mortality, repeat offences and very little reduction in human-lion conflict.
Does the farming and legal trade of wildlife do more harm than good? New study
Farming and legal trade of wildlife could increase demand for wildlife products and so be negative from a conservation perspective – research
Did fences cause the elephant deaths in Botswana?
New study examines whether fences could have impacted the elephant deaths in the Seronga region of Botswana in mid-2020.
Unravelling the elaborate sex lives of spotted hyenas
High-ranked male spotted hyenas are more reproductively successful than their low-ranked rivals – hormone and behaviour analysis reveals why.
Of ivory, elephants, shipwrecks and slaughter
Ivory recovered from 500-year-old shipwreck reveals details of the ivory trade and how it has devastated forest elephant populations.
Spotting elephants from space
Artificial intelligence and satellite images can help conservationists count elephants from space, says new research.
The extinction business – South Africa’s cold-blooded reptile trade
South Africa’s amphibian & reptile trade is a growing industry that is unregulated, unsustainable, and unethical – says report
Arch-enemies? New research on lions vs hyenas
Lions vs hyenas is the ultimate African drama. New research has shed light on the dynamics between these two apex predators
Female banded mongooses incite violence for better mating opportunities
Female banded mongooses lead their groups into deliberate conflict with rival groups to increase their chances of mating – research
Forest elephants going hungry as climate change stops trees from fruiting
Forest elephants are losing body condition – most probably due to climate impacts on forest tree fruit production – say researchers
COVID-19 ‘perfect storm’ threatens conservation in Africa
A new report examines just how bad COVID-19 is for Africa’s wildlife and protected areas and what needs to be done to save our wild spaces
Saving rodents, losing primates – we need tailored strategies to manage bushmeat trade
Viewing all bushmeat trade through one lens over-simplifies the complex situation and could lead to accelerated disappearance of some species
Trophy hunting – how do African people feel?
Trophy hunting: How do African people perceive and react to trophy hunting compared to those from the Western public – research
How much water should lodges be using?
How much water should safari lodges be using? The lowering of groundwater levels could compromise the ecosystem and wildlife.
Elephants & cattle – restoring soil nutrient levels
Research shows that elephants can assist farmers by restoring soil nutrient levels when cattle have depleted those nutrients
Cyanobacteria to blame for elephant deaths – Botswana officials
Elephant deaths: The sudden deaths of over 300 elephants in Botswana were caused by cyanotoxins produced by blue-green algae, say officials
The importance of adult male elephants
The selective harvesting of old bull elephants damages broader elephant society because of the important role played by the bulls – research
Why are elephants dying in Zimbabwe and Botswana?
Elephants dying: Professor Keith Somerville investigates the mysterious deaths of more than 300 elephants in Zimbabwe and Botswana
“Lost” species of elephant shrew alive and well
Researchers have rediscovered the Somali Sengi (an elephant shrew) – which was thought to be extinct and was last seen nearly 50 years ago
Domestic cat predation on wild animals in Cape Town
The domestic cat is a honed killing machine whose impact on biodiversity in South Africa is only now being fully revealed
Counting lions: new study shows the importance of good counts for lion conservation
Counting lions using correct techniques is vital to understand how many lions there are. Historical surveys have not resulted in good data
Keeping an eye on predators
Attacks on livestock by wild predators is a common problem in Africa – and scientists say that painting eyes on cattle backsides could help
“Living dead” – elephants in Kruger NP are sterilizing palm trees, says research
Elephants feeding on fan palm trees are preventing the palms from reaching full size & reproductive potential in Kruger NP, says new study
Tiny primate: new species of mouse lemur discovered
Scientists have discovered a new species of mouse lemur in Madagascar – which is already threatened by habitat loss & climate change
Roan antelope conservation challenges
Roan antelope populations have dropped to perilously low levels, and there is every chance they could disappear from the areas such as Kruger National Park
Will legal international rhino horn trade save wild rhino populations?
Will legal international rhino horn trade save the wild rhino population? Find out here in this thought-provoking opinion post
It’s not about the worm
Mopane worms are a popular source of protein and delicious snack for rural people in Limpopo – read about a sustainable Kruger harvest program
Aardvarks and climate change
Aardvarks are being severely impacted by climate change, says research being conducted in arid areas where temperatures are expected to rise
Human impact results in leopard inbreeding – research
Human activity is affecting negatively on leopard populations – via changes in age, sex & social structure of leopard populations – research
Trophy hunting ban could harm conservation on private fenced farms in South Africa – says study
Trophy hunting on many private fenced farms in South Africa – this study examines the impact that a ban could have on biodiversity
