wildlife Archives - Africa Geographic

Open letter calls on the World Tourism Organization to ban wildlife interactions

Animal welfare & tourism groups call on the United Nations World Tourism Organization to ban captive wildlife tourism interactions

Wildlife trade between South Africa and China exposed – legal and illegal

The vast scale of legal and illegal trade in wildlife species between South Africa and China – many of them CITES 1 species – has been revealed by an extensive report.

Kevin Richardson, the ‘Lion Whisperer’ – hard questions and frank replies

Kevin Richardson, AKA ‘Lion Whisperer – some hard questions and frank replies about his public shows of affection for his captive lions

Farming wild animals – is China the model for South Africa?

Farming wild animals is a big industry in South Africa but not near the Chinese scale. Should SA follow China’s lead, as it seems to be doing?

>2,000 vultures now feared poisoned in Guinea-Bissau – largest mass mortality ever

Over 2,000 critically endangered hooded vultures have died across Guinea-Bissau of poisoning due to belief-based use.

Coronavirus has finally made us recognise that illegal wildlife trade is a public health issue

The global Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic may prove to be an important moment in the attempts to address the illegal wildlife trade.

Meet the lion coalitions & prides of the Greater Kruger

Meet the famous Mapogos and other celebrity lion coalitions of the Greater Kruger – the warriors, the courageous and the notorious.

American parrot breeder wants to import wild-caught African grey parrots for a captive breeding scheme for the pet trade

An American parrot breeder has applied to import wild-caught endangered African grey parrots into the United States of America

What exactly is CITES and how does it work?

CITES was established to regulate the international trade of animals & plants, to avoid the over-exploitation of endangered species

CITES processes are corrupt, says report

A report from TRAFFIC explains how corruption undermines the CITES-authorised trade in wildlife and offers suggestions as to how to mitigate its effects.

Newly discovered Taita Mountain dwarf galago (bushbaby) could already be on the brink of extinction

Newly-discovered species of bushbaby (galago) in Kenya’s Taita Hills is already on the verge of extinction due to habitat loss, say scientists

Elephant body language 101 – a guide for beginners

Elephant body language is a complex topic, yet there are a few simple clues and signals that explain elephant emotions and intentions

There’s a cheetah on the roof – when wildlife viewing crosses the line

How close is too close? Cheetahs regularly climb onto safari vehicles. Here is why this practice is unethical, dangerous and invasive.

Black honey badgers spotted in Gabon

4 Melanistic (black) honey badgers captured on a camera trap in Gabon.

The death of ‘Julian’, one of Africa’s last great tuskers

Another of Africa’s great tuskers has died of natural causes.

Lightning kills 4 mountain gorillas

Lighting has killed four mountain gorillas in Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda – including one pregnant female and one baby.

Lion cub petting & captive wildlife interactions: what tourists need to know

No to lion cub petting and elephant-back riding. Captive wildlife guidelines for tourists – an easy-to-understand list of what to look out for

Baboon kidnaps lion cub

A baboon kidnapped a tiny lion cub in the Kruger National Park, and was seen grooming the dying cub in a large tree

Humans not always to blame for genetic diversity loss in wildlife

People are not always to blame for loss of genetic diversity in wildlife, says new study.

Skilful climbers: Lionesses scale near-vertical cliff in pursuit of prey

A great sighting as two lionesses show off their athletic climbing skills as they make their way up a near-vertical cliff face in pursuit of potential prey.

Niassa National Reserve CREDIT JEAN-BAPTISTE DEFFONTAINES (1)

Niassa suffers forest loss, but able to support elephants and lions

A recent study states that Niassa National Reserve in Mozambique still has the potential to support tens of thousands of elephants and 1,000 lions, as the vast majority of the ecosystem is intact.

My ‘Delta Detox’ mobile safari experience

Safari report-back: My tented mobile safari in the Okavango Delta, Botswana – an adventure I will never forget. By Carolien du Plessis

A silverback western lowland gorilla relaxes in the trees in Odzala-Kakoua National Park, Congo

Field notes: Western lowland gorillas feeding on seasonal fruits

Odzala-Kokoua National Park guide, Alon Cassidy, enjoyed some wonderful sightings of western lowland gorillas enjoying some seasonal treats.

Trekking the beautiful Bale Mountains in Ethiopia

This was an amazing opportunity to visit Ethiopia’s most important biodiversity hotspot and see some of the rarest creatures in the world.

The link between hunting & tourism in Namibia

I am not a hunter. Nor have I ever been. I am a vegetarian (since the age of about 11), I am part of the environmental NGO sector and I have interests in the tourism industry in Namibia. So, it might surprise you that I am a strong supporter of the hunting industry in Namibia, and indeed, throughout Africa.