Kenya: Mutua Says Probe Launched On Surge in Hyena Attacks

[ad_1] Kilifi — The government has launched a probe into the rise in hyena attacks amid indications of population growth. Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua Wednesday said preliminary investigations had revealed a notable increase in the hyena population within Nairobi's Juja area and the Nairobi National Park. Mutua, who spoke while on a public engagement in Kilifi, attributed the projected population growth to the dry spell witnessed in the country before the onset of El Nino rains in […]

February 7, 2024

Africa

Africa’s Savannah Elephants – Small ‘Fortress’ Parks Aren’t the Answer – They Need Room to Roam

[ad_1] Africa is home to about 410,000 savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana), most of them living in southern Africa. Over 290,000 elephants (70%) are spread across 103 protected areas which vary in size, connectivity and protection. In a recent research paper we explored how elephant populations across southern Africa performed under different conservation approaches. This work formed part of the Conservation Ecology Research Unit at the University of Pretoria, where we focus on science-based, cost-effective approaches to elephant management. Our study […]

January 26, 2024

Africa

Africa: Biodiversity – What Is It, and How Can We Protect It?

[ad_1] The UN and its global partners will grapple with the massive loss of animal and plant species, and how to avoid further extinction, at a major conference beginning 23 January. Here's a primer on what, exactly, biodiversity is, and how the UN can help support efforts to enable nature to survive and thrive. What does 'biodiversity' mean and why is it important? In simple terms, biodiversity refers to all types of life on earth. The UN Convention on Biological […]

January 24, 2024

Africa

Africa: Cash-Strapped Conservationists in South Africa Are Struggling to Collect Biodiversity Data – How to Change That

[ad_1] South Africa's government conservation organisations have experienced substantial budget cuts. Even after steps to cut costs, South African National Parks reported a big shortfall (R223 million or about US$11.92 million) for 2021/22. So did the provincial body KZN Ezemvelo Wildlife (R89 million; about US$4.77 million). South African conservation authorities manage millions of hectares of protected areas. However, recruitment freezes and insufficient funds have reduced their ability to conduct basic operations. One of these is biodiversity monitoring. Knowing which plants […]

January 19, 2024

News

South Africa: Outrage Over Slow Pace of Upgrades to Pretoria Zoo

[ad_1] SANBI says it is "balancing" visitors' experience with its ongoing upgrades since taking over the facility in 2018 The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) says it is hard at work to upgrade the zoo in Pretoria, while ensuring that visitors' experience is not compromised. Disgruntled visitors took to social media earlier this month to express their dissatisfaction with the state of the zoo and its offerings. Infrastructure upgrades and maintenance at the zoo started two years ago. While […]

January 12, 2024

Africa

Africa: ‘Tackle Chemical Pollution of Rivers to Save Wildlife, Livestock’

[ad_1] There is a surge in the use of health hazard mining chemicals across Africa which pose a threat to humanity, wildlife and livestock. Zimbabwe being an agro-based nation where small scale farmers rely on ploughing using livestock, which is therefore, at the centre of citizens' sources of sustainable livelihoods. Meanwhile, wildlife has become an important source of domestic tourism. In the recent past Zimbabwe experienced a surge in loss of wildlife due to chemicals such as the cyanide. There […]

January 10, 2024

Wildlife