Being able to identify transactions involving restricted species, and conversations happening about them, will assist law enforcement in the fight against wildlife trafficking.
Category Archives: Poaching
NEWS WRAP: Record seizure of pangolin scales + cameras find lone female elephant roaming Knysna forest
In this week’s news wrap Hong Kong customs have seized a record haul of pangolin scales bound for Vietnam; camera-trap technology has captured what is suspected to be the last elephant in Knysna forest; the South Africa parliament has attacked the Kruger agreement with neighbouring private reserves; Uganda seized ivory and pangolin scales worth an estimated $8 million; 20 endangered vultures die of poisoning near the Maasai Mara; thousands of baby flamingos have been rescued in South Africa as drought has put their breeding ground in peril; and a new widow spider species has been discovered – the first in 29 years.
Pangolin rescued from poachers in Limpopo
Earlier this February, Welgevonden Game Reserve’s anti-poaching unit received word of a pangolin sale which they intercepted, arresting five suspects and detaining two.
NEWS WRAP: Six animals electrocuted in Kruger + wildlife trafficking kingpin’s case dismissed
In this week’s news wrap a freak accident in the Kruger National Park has resulted in six animals, including a white rhino and two lions, being electrocuted; a suspected wildlife trafficking kingpin accused of smuggling $1 million worth of rhino horns to Thailand has had the case against him dismissed; two people were arrested at O.R Tambo International Airport after police found R2 million worth of rhino horn hidden in their luggage; and Vietnam customs forces have discovered nearly 1.4 tonnes of pangolin scales and 20 elephant tusks hidden inside a container shipped from Nigeria.
NEWS WRAP: Hong Kong failing to tackle illegal wildlife trade + elephant poaching numbers down in Tanzania
In this week’s news wrap a new study has revealed that Hong Kong’s illegal wildlife trade is contributing to a global extinction crisis; the Tanzanian government announced that elephant poaching has declined in Tanzania’s national parks; China customs dismantled a major ivory trafficking syndicate after arrests were made; and a new Tanzanian reserve has been declared in order to protect invaluable forest.
Hong Kong failing to tackle illegal wildlife trade – study
New study sheds light on illegal wildlife trade in Hong Kong – a high volume and lucrative black market business.
Video: Third arrest made as China customs dismantle major ivory trafficking syndicate
Chinese authorities have nabbed all three identified members of a major ivory trafficking syndicate first exposed by the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) in 2017.
Somaliland wildlife medicine and husbandry: new partnership announced
The Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) has announced a new international partnership between European and African institutions to enhance Somaliland’s ability to treat and care for confiscated wildlife.
Pangolins – The Most Trafficked Mammal on Earth
Pangolins are the most mystical and bewitching creatures. Being the only mammals covered in hard keratinous overlapping scales, these rare animals have only been sighted in their natural habitat by the very fortunate few – often a fleeting glimpse at dawn or dusk, but a sighting and an experience of a lifetime. Being shy, predominantly […]
Saving trafficked pangolins, one release at a time
A story about releasing trafficked pangolins back into the wild, thanks to a dedicated team of people fighting to ensure the survival of these threatened creatures.
NEWS WRAP: Famous super tusker rescued + 2.8 tonnes of pangolin scales torched
In this week’s news wrap the famous super tusker elephant, Tim, was rescued from certain death; Malaysia torched 2.8 tonnes of African pangolin scales; the Kruger National Park 10-year management plan was approved by acting Environmental Affairs Minister; the lion bone quota was reduced to 800 skeletons from 1,500; an American woman was attacked by a hippo after her canoe capsized on the Zambezi River; an anthrax outbreak in Mana Pools in Zimbabwe has killed 100 impala; and eight West African giraffe have been reintroduced to Gadabedji Biosphere Reserve in Niger after a 50-year absence.
Malaysia torches 2.8 tonnes of African pangolin scales
Malaysia on Thursday torched nearly three tonnes of seized scales of endangered pangolins worth $9 million in a bid to deter illegal wildlife trafficking from Africa.
NEWS WRAP: 8 arrested for possession of lion bones and meat + warden convicted after illegal collared elephant hunt
In this week’s news wrap eight people have been arrested for illegal possession of lion bones, meat and tiger skin; a warden was convicted after an illegal collared elephant hunt in Greater Kruger; Malawi investigates the deaths of at least 22 hippos at Liwonde National Park; and a High Court ruling proves a huge victory for Xolobeni community over an Australian mining company.
Here’s how YOU can make a difference for RHINOS
Our CEO has a message for those of you who want to make a difference for rhinos. Start by watching STROOP, then take action.
Balule teams bust three suspected rhino poachers
Three suspected rhino poachers were apprehended on Balule Nature Reserve on Tuesday morning after a well-coordinated effort between numerous anti-poaching, security, aviation and policing personnel took place through the night.
Contact! A real-life story about a poaching incident in Kruger
Living in the Kruger can be amazing an experience, but an incident for one resident hits close to home the realities of rhino poaching.
Hurry: STROOP rhino documentary – special screenings in SA, limited tickets available
After a successful roadshow at international indie film festivals, multiple award-winning documentary ‘STROOP – Journey into the rhino horn war’ will be screened at two South African cinemas in late November.
REST – Rehabilitation & Conservation in Action
The morning sun was starting to make us sweat as we sat on the ground in a circle and waited. There wasn’t a breath of wind as small puffs of pale-yellow dust rose into the air, kicked up by four inquisitive creatures who were making their way towards us. Slowly but surely, they got within […]
NEWS WRAP: Two black rhino carcasses found in Zakouma + eight poachers arrested in Kruger
In this week’s news wrap two black rhino carcasses have been discovered in Zakouma National Park; eight suspected rhino poachers were arrested during counter poaching operations inside the Kruger National Park; Uganda gets three new gorilla trekking groups after successful habituation; and a young elephant has been rescued and reunited with its family after it was caught in a wire snare in Liwonde National Park in Malawi.
NEWS WRAP: US wildlife official resigns after killing baboon family + Kruger’s security measures intensified
In this week’s news wrap a top Idaho wildlife official has resigned amid outrage over a photo of him posing with a baboon family he killed in Namibia; SANParks have intensified security measures in the Kruger to tackle the rise of elephant poaching; 13 rhino horns shipped from South Africa were seized in Vietnam; a New Zealand drone company is helping in the fight against South African rhino poachers; South African rhino film wins top awards at US film festivals; and Ugandan ranger wins prestigious Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award 2018.
Rhino Dehorning: Tip of the Iceberg
Before coming to Africa, I had little to no knowledge of the constant efforts being made to save our precious rhinos – one of Africa’s most iconic animals. Not long after arriving, however, I had the opportunity to photograph and assist in a rhino dehorning operation, a somewhat controversial method of hopeful poaching prevention, and […]
NEWS WRAP: Elephants trample tourists in two incidents + massive pangolin scale seizure
In this week’s news wrap there have been two cases of an elephant trampling a tourist in Zimbabwe; authorities in Vietnam discovered almost a ton of pangolin scales and ivory flown in from Nigeria; the DR Congo president torched an ivory and pangolin scale stockpile; an analysis revealed social media’s role in advertising illegal wildlife trade, including cheetah trafficking; and Singapore Airlines has announced that it has stopped accepting lion bones for cargo.
DRC president torches ivory and pangolin scale stockpile, releases parrots
Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila on Sunday set light to an ivory stockpile to highlight the problem of poaching in the central African country.
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.
Botswana elephant poaching debate: Wildlife vet speaks his mind
Botswana elephant poaching debate: Wildlife vet speaks his mind.
Kenya’s Lion Guardians
Dawn is just breaking when Kamunu Saitoti sets out across the Amboseli bush in search of lions. At first glance, he appears much like any other Maasai warrior: Lean and tall, his dark red shuka is wrapped around his torso and waist concealing his only weapon, a long knife with a simple wooden handle. Brightly […]
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.
Where are the rhino poaching stats? Open letter to the minister
A small group of concerned stakeholders and organisations got together to voice their concerns to the Minister and members of the Security Cluster in regards to the current state of rhino poaching in South Africa.
NEWS WRAP: Rhino poaching ringleader released + Botswana considers lifting hunting ban
In this week’s news wrap the notorious rhino poaching ringleader, Chumlong Lemtongthai, was released early from prison and deported to Thailand; Botswana initiated on Wednesday a month of public hearings to decide whether to lift the 2014 hunting ban, including elephant hunting; the South African Parliament wants the Kruger National Park agreement with private reserves revised; an elephant killed a 58-year old man from a village in the northwest district of Botswana; and the past two months has seen the translocation of zebra, blue wildebeest and impala from Kruger National Park to Zinave National Park.
Great Lakes: A Solo, Man-powered Expedition
In early 2018, I set out to journey across the three largest of the African Great Lakes: Lake Malawi, Lake Tanganyika, and Lake Victoria. My objective was to traverse the region by “fair means”: solo, self-sufficient, and entirely human-powered. I would start in the south, and make my away across the lakes via kayak, paddling […]
Notorious rhino poaching ringleader released early from prison, deported to Thailand
Chumlong Lemtongthai, a key figure in the notorious Xaysavang rhino horn and wildlife trafficking network, was released from a South African prison last night and deported to Thailand.
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.
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.
NEWS WRAP: Elephant poaching in Botswana + giraffe tramples mother and child
In this week’s news wrap the Botswana government has provided context and questioned irresponsible reporting regarding the discovery of 87 elephant carcasses; a mother and child were left critically injured after they were trampled by a giraffe in Limpopo; a Namibian ‘problem’ lion has died during a relocation operation; Zimbabwe will be donating ten white rhinos to the Democratic Republic of Congo; cheetah smugglers were nabbed in Somaliland’s first court conviction of wildlife criminals; and a study shows that the delay on the full ban of ivory trade in Hong Kong could encourage elephant poaching.
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.
NEWS WRAP: Kruger lion pride caution + ivory processing workshop found in Angola
In this week’s news wrap a lion pride in the Kruger National Park is apparently becoming accustomed to cars as management issues caution to tourists; authorities in Angola have arrested five Vietnamese nationals in connection with a massive seizure of wildlife products, including rhino horn pieces, elephant ivory and pangolin scales; a Kruger guard has been arrested on suspicion of poaching; 90 African buffalo were welcomed into a community conservancy in Zambia; and nine lions made history when they were translocated to Liwonde National Park in Malawi, returning the species to the park for the first time in 20 years.
NEWS WRAP: Massive rhino horn seizure in Malaysia + elephants trample and kill two Tanzanians
In this week’s news wrap Malaysian authorities discovered 50 pieces of rhino horn in the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in what is believed to be southeast Asia’s largest single seizure of rhino horns; two Tanzanians were trampled to death by elephants in the north of the country; a nationwide survey has revealed that the majority of South Africans believe the captive lion breeding industry is harming the country’s international reputation; conservationists in Kenya are warning of an imminent poaching crisis should proposals to open the doors to game hunting sail through; and police in Cameroon have shut down an international poaching gang after catching six traffickers carrying more than 700 kilos of pangolin scales.
NEWS WRAP: Leopard hunting reinstated in South Africa + hippo kills tourist
In this week’s news wrap South Africa’s Department of Environmental Affairs has issued a quota of seven male leopards for trophy hunting during 2018; a hippo attacked and killed a Taiwanese tourist, and injured another, at a wildlife resort on Lake Naivasha in Kenya; customs officers seized rhino horns worth 1.3 million ($245,000) Turkish Liras at Istanbul’s Atatürk Airport; and a crocodile was successfully relocated from the famous Victoria Falls Bridge.
Elephant poaching in Botswana: Prime tourism concessions now being hit
Fresh results from an ongoing elephant survey in northern Botswana reveal that a significant number of fresh carcasses have been found in a prime tourism concession operated by a prominent eco-tourism company.
Update on rhino translocation fiasco: WWF-Kenya admits mistakes were made
WWF-Kenya has admitted that grave mistakes were made in the translocation operation in Kenya which saw 10 out of 11 critically endangered black rhinos die.
The Extinction Business: Lion bone trade threatens world’s big cats
The Extinction Business: South Africa’s ‘Lion’ Bone Trade is an investigative report by EMS Foundation and Ban Animal Trading that reveals startling and alarming factors that have a significant negative impact on worldwide big cat conservation.
NEWS WRAP: Tenth black rhino dies after translocation + elephant calf rescued from muddy pit
In this week’s news wrap a tenth black rhino has died in Kenya after a botched translocation; a young elephant in Zimbabwe has been rescued after becoming stuck in the mud; Virunga National Park has welcomed the good news that two new mountain gorillas have been born in the park; a field ranger has been shot and killed in the Kruger National Park in a poaching incident; an alleged poacher in the Kruger was arrested shortly after being trampled by elephants; the De Beers Group has begun to transport 200 elephants from South Africa to Mozambique; and Hong Kong customs have seized 7,100 kg of suspected pangolin scales.
Alleged poacher trampled by elephants in Kruger
An alleged poacher was arrested on Sunday shortly after being trampled by elephants in the Kruger National Park.
Field ranger shot and killed by poachers in Kruger
A field ranger has been shot and killed by poachers in the Kruger National Park.
NEWS WRAP: SA’s lion bone export quota set at 1,500 skeletons + 9 black rhinos die after translocation
In this week’s news wrap 1,500 lion skeletons from captive-bred lions can now be exported annually from South Africa according to the new lion bone export quota; nine out of 14 critically endangered black rhinos have died after being translocated from one reserve to another in Kenya; two Zimbabwean women have drowned after a hippo attack caused their fishing boat to capsize; Taiwan’s ivory ban is to enter into force in 2020; and Botswana’s intelligence agency has been accused of using its anti-poaching operation to conceal elephant tusks from the responsible government department, potentially using it as a conduit for ivory smuggling.
Opinion: Poachers getting out on bail are not helping South Africa’s rhinos
An opinion piece about the current judicial system in South Africa and how poachers getting out on bail are not helping the country’s rhinos.
NEWS WRAP: Illegal ivory openly sold in Europe + elephant tramples handler
In this week’s news wrap a study has revealed how illegal ivory is being openly sold across Europe; a 40-year-old man has died after being trampled by a domesticated elephant at an elephant sanctuary in Victoria Falls; a Kruger lioness who was treated by vets for a deep snare wound around her waist a month ago has recently been sighted again; at least three alleged poachers were killed by a pride of lions in Sibuya Game Reserve in South Africa; seven baboons have been killed after hunting permits were issued to two Cape wine farms; and humpback whale monitoring has returned to the KwaZulu-Natal coast after a 15-year absence.
Video: Lioness with snare wound sighted after treatment
A Kruger lioness who was treated by vets for a deep snare wound around her waist a month ago has recently been sighted again.
Illegal ivory sold openly across Europe – study
Illegal elephant ivory is being openly sold across the European Union, according to a report by the campaign group Avaaz.
Lions kill suspected poachers in South African reserve
At least three alleged poachers were killed by a pride of lions in the Sibuya Game Reserve outside Kenton-on-Sea in South Africa earlier this week.
Investigating South Africa’s wildlife cryptotrade
A casual search of some of South Africa’s biggest online marketplaces shows just how easily endangered wildlife species are reduced to their parts – and how simple it is to sell them online while retaining anonymity.
NEWS WRAP: Three rhinos die at hands of poachers + Botswana MP proposes lifting elephant hunting ban
In this week’s news wrap three rhinos, a mother and two calves, died after a poaching incident; a Botswana MP proposes lifting the elephant hunting ban; an enormous amount of ivory was confiscated after a wide-ranging law enforcement sweep of Yunnan border areas in China; Zakouma National Park’s six black rhinos were dehorned to help reduce the risk of poaching; the DR Congo is considering whether to open up two world-famous national parks to oil exploration; and Zimbabwean police are investigating the illegal hunting of a ‘problem’ elephant bull by two Americans visiting the country on tourist visas.
Three rhinos – mother and two calves – die after poaching incident
SanWild Wildlife Sanctuary near Gravelotte lost three rhinos at the hands of poachers over the past weekend.
My fight to save Liberia’s pangolins
Two steps forward, one step back in pangolin conservation. Liberia is a country in West Africa that has overcome civil war, battled through the Ebola crisis and is currently recovering from the impacts. But there is one more issue to confront – the illegal wildlife and bushmeat trade.
Guarding Limpopo National Park’s carnivores
A new carnivore protection ranger force, the Limpopo Lion Protection Team, has been trained and deployed – specifically assigned to support the Greater Limpopo Carnivore Programme and tasked with securing known lion ranges from targeted lion poaching.
Rhino horn slips past security‚ uncovered in Hong Kong
Customs officers in Hong Kong have arrested a man carrying about R1-million worth of sliced rhino horn that appears to have been smuggled past three airport security checks in Johannesburg‚ Beira and Doha.
NEWS WRAP: Canned hunter convicted + escaped Kruger lion captured
In this week’s news wrap a South African canned hunter was successfully convicted; a male lion was darted and captured after presumably escaping the Kruger; two men suspected of being kingpins in a rhino poaching syndicate were arrested; the Zambian government has denied reports that it has authorised the culling of 2,000 hippos in the Luangwa Valley; and the population of mountain gorillas, one of the world’s most endangered species, is on the rise after a population survey was performed in the transboundary Virunga Massif.
NEWS WRAP: Buffalo kills hunter + Zambia reinstates plan to cull hippos
In this week’s news wrap a well-known hunter has been killed by a buffalo in Limpopo, South Africa; Zambia reinstates plan to cull 2,000 hippos; justice is served for foreign lizard poachers; an elephant cow with two-week-old calf is saved from a snare in Mozambique; and South African fisheries control officers nab abalone poachers.
Justice served for foreign lizard poachers
A Japanese man has been sentenced to 13 years behind bars or a R1-million fine for trafficking 48 armadillo girdled lizards.
Forest hornbills being decimated in Ghana
Six out of eight Ghanaian forest hornbill species have shown significant population declines due to uncontrolled hunting, according to a long-term research project.
