Rhino poaching is on the increase in Namibia, with 87 rhinos poached in 2022 – almost double than in 2021. Elephant poaching is declining.
Category Archives: Natural history
Maasai, maize and mammoths – human-elephant conflict in the Amboseli ecosystem
Averting crop-raiding elephants in the Amboseli ecosystem is a constant battle. Josh Clay reports on how rangers prevent human-elephant conflict
Seven safari myths – busted
Can you separate fact from fiction when it comes to the tall tales told about Africa’s wildlife? Our experts bust common safari myths
Warthog
Warthogs are the fast and courageous tusked pigs of Africa. Known for their haggard looks, the warthog is an entertaining sight on any safari
Giraffe social structure as complex as elephants’
Giraffe social structure is as complex as elephants’ – consisting of intricate communication, stable kinship groups and supportive mothering
African penguin
The African penguin is an endangered bird found along the coasts of southern Africa, drawing thousands of tourists every year
Population growth, exploitation and climate change: safeguarding Africa’s wildlife into the 22nd century
A study on population growth, resource exploitation & climate change highlights the necessary steps for preventing loss of wild habitats & species in Africa
Another year of loss – an update on Kruger’s rhino populations
Rhino poaching continues to decimate Kruger National Park’s populations. We dive into the latest rhino population figures from SANParks
Iconic Tsavo super tusker Lugard dies
Iconic Tsavo super tusker Lugard, has died of natural causes. Lugard is the second tusker to be found deceased in Tsavo in the past month
West African giraffe conservation success in Niger after daring translocation
A vital population of West African giraffe in Niger has been bolstered after the translocation of 4 giraffe from a security stricken region to Gadabedji Biosphere Reserve
Cape porcupine
Cape porcupines are fascinating creatures. Protected by deadly quills, they are the largest rodents in southern Africa
Hippos to be uplisted? CITES CoP19
Ten African states have proposed the transfer of the hippo from CITES Appendix II to Appendix I ahead of the 19th Conference of the Parties. What does this entail?
Human-wildlife conflict: long-term trends in Namibia
Research in Namibia on the type & frequency of human-wildlife conflict incidents between 2001–2019 can aid in mitigating future conflict occurrences
Tsavo tusker Dida dies of natural causes
Elephant Dida, tusker and matriarch of Tsavo National Park – possibly Africa’s largest female tusker – has died of natural causes
Vanishing lions – a 75% decline in Africa’s iconic predators in just five decades
Africa’s lions are disappearing. New research shows that lion populations across the continent have declined by 75% in just five decades
The tragic human cost of elephant translocations
Human-elephant conflict: Communities near Kasungu face tragic losses following the introduction of new elephant herds to the national park
Aardvark
The elusive aardvark is a keystone species, shaping the landscape around it and providing dwellings for other mammals, reptiles and birds
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
The miniature owls of Africa
Africa hosts a variety of miniature owls. From scops-owls, to white-faced owls & owlets, here is the rundown of these small, endearing birds
Pongola’s elephant management crisis: a different perspective
Pongola Game Reserve faces an elephant management crisis. Paul Cryer & Pete Ruinard provide a different perspective on the challenges at hand
Snakes – everything you need to know
Admired and feared, snakes are marvels of natural engineering, behaviour & movement. Here’s everything you need to know to understand snakes
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
Not on our watch: The Timbavati Traverse
The Timbavati Traverse is an excellent opportunity for bushveld walkers & runners to make a real difference for Greater Kruger’s rhinos
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.
Habituating leopards
Following the death of leopard Hosana, Jamie Paterson & Maxine Gaines take an in-depth look at leopard habituation & tourism ethics
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
Northern Madagascar
Northern Madagascar – biodiversity, lush rainforests, mangroves, azure lagoons, palm-fringed beaches, lemurs and ferocious fossa
Trophy hunting will not save Africa’s lions – Opinion editorial
Trophy hunting will not save Africa’s lion populations, & the UK ban on imports is a positive step for conservation, writes Hans Bauer
Pongola’s elephant management crisis
Pongola Game Reserve can no longer keep its elephants. Malcolm Thomson explains the challenges of elephant management
Surviving in post-pandemic Zimbabwe
As tourism slowly recovers in post-pandemic Zimbabwe, hunger still stalks the country. Many resort to the basics to survive the loss of income
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
Hippopotamus
The hippopotamus – a large semiaquatic mammal – is one of the most powerful, speedy and feared animals in Africa
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
Farmed vs wild rhino horn – what the research tells us
Does farming of rhinos prevent illegal trade in wild rhino horn? Research into consumer preferences sheds light on the rhino-horn trade
How much to kill a woolly mammoth?
The trophy hunting of 2 of Botswana’s largest tuskers threatens community wealth, a wildlife corridor & tusker survival. By Simon Espley
South and central Madagascar
South and central Madagascar is popular with tourists who enjoy the spiny forests, elegant sifakas, ring-tailed lemurs and desert canyons
Hosana, famous Sabi Sand leopard, killed under tragic circumstances
Well-known leopard Hosana of Sabi Sand is believed to have been killed in self-defence by an anti-poaching unit on patrol
Iconic Amboseli super tusker Tolstoy dies
Famous Amboseli super tusker Tolstoy has died at the age of 51, six weeks after being treated for a spear wound
Trophy hunters kill two of Africa’s biggest elephants in Botswana
Trophy hunters have killed 2 of the largest elephants left in Africa. The ongoing removal of large-tusked elephants is a conservation concern
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
Botswana to develop 8 new lodges on Chobe Riverfront?
Botswana’s dubious call for tenders for 8 new lodges in Chobe NP, despite regulations preventing developments, has angered environmentalists
Big cat farming and the illegal tiger trade in South Africa
South Africa’s illegal tiger trade and farming of other big cats threatens the wild populations of these animals across the world
Jackals of Africa – consummate survivors
Jackals are the ultimate survivors of the African bushveld. These social & intelligent canids are expert opportunists and masterful lurkers
