Posted on November 22, 2014
In another sad tale of endengaring various species in Africa, TakePart reported an increase in poaching of Giraffes. The executive director of the Giraffe Conservation Foundation Julian Fennessy explained the phenomenon is on the rise and giraffes really do not get “the attention they deserve.” The worst are the regions of Keny,a Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Read the full articleHere!
Posted on November 21, 2014
Posted on November 12, 2014
Posted on October 28, 2014
The US Fish and Wildlife Service, “following a review of the best available scientific information, … proposed listing the African lion as threatened under the Endangered Species Act” in their latest statement. According to their findings, the lions may be going extinct in the near future if protective measures are not taken. The FWS suggested that the imports and international trade need to be monitored and enforced better.
According to Yahoo News, the Endangered Species Act could bring more awareness to the dwindling number of lions in Africa. While some still roam freely, majority has been limited primarily to 10 major strongholds and human settlements keep encroaching on their territory. On top of that, the lion’s prey is also being hunted down, not only diminishing their food supply but also forcing lion’s to attack livestock leading to retaliation by humans. As the FWS Director Dan Ashe explained, it is up to the world and not just Africa alone to ensure the specie can survive for generations to come.
Source: Yahoo News
Photo by Kevin Pluck
Posted on September 24, 2014
Sirga is a poor lioness who was orphaned just days after birth. Her siblings were killed and her mother stopped providing her with milk. However, the little helpless cub was rescued by Valentin Guener, an animal conservatist and founder of the Modisa Wildlife Project in Botswana. Guener slept with the cub almost every night for the first eight months.
Guener has returned to the sanctuary to visit Sirga who is now 3 years old. Their reunion was a heartwarming moment of true love. Just watch the video below!
Posted on September 20, 2014
Recent news published by Nature website has been making headlines around the web, looking at the reason behind chimpanzee violence against each other. Some theories previously claimed the “chimp murders” were a product of human interaction; that is, the chimps learned violent tendencies from us. The latest study, however, disproves this theory. Nature website showed that the “murders” are better explained via natural causes such as competitiveness and adaptation.
Jane Goodall’s studies have previously shown that, for the most part, chimps were ” generally peaceful, playful, sophisticated and easygoing” as The New York Times wrote back in 1988. Despite that, further research showed that the males do occasionally engage in active killing of others. An anthropology professor at Indiana University Kevin D. Hunt further concluded that the persistent thread of violence was part of the reason for the social bonding, as chimps would have to “hang together to protect against extra-group murderers.”
If the chimps are our evolutionary ancestors, what does this speak of the human nature as well? Could violence thus be an inherent trait of our (and many other) species? Studies have already pointed out that some aggression can be beneficial, promoting the survival of the most powerful individuals. After all, “survival of the fittest” is one of evolution’s guiding principles.
Sources
Posted on September 9, 2014
Yahoo News just reported a very interesting yet disheartening story about the truth of South African game breeding. As it turns out, many of the elite in the country can bring in millions of dollars by raising rare game such as buffalo, stable antelope, impala or wildbeest. The deputy president of South Africa, for instance, made over $2 million selling just three of his white-flanked impala at a bidding auction. Some say raising game is even more profitable than investing in stock or property.
The full article can be found here
Posted on September 1, 2014
Yahoo news reported an interesting story about the War on Poaching in Kenya’s Ol Jogi rhino sanctuary:
Ol Jogi (Kenya) (AFP) – With camouflage uniforms, assault rifles, night vision goggles, thermal imaging devices and radios, wildlife rangers in Kenya’s Ol Jogi rhino sanctuary prepare for night patrol in the “war” against poaching.
As the late afternoon sun creeps towards the horizon and shadows lengthen on the sweeping plains dotted with rocky outcrops, Ol Jogi’s armed rangers get set for another tough night on patrol.
“It sounds crazy, but it’s actually a war,” said Jamie Gaymer, head of security for the vast reserve.
Fully story at Yahoo News
Posted on August 29, 2014
At the watering hole in South Africa’s Addo Elephant National Park, a baby elephant learned a valuable lesson when he attempted to intimidate a much bigger buffalo. The elephant lifted its head with ears out to send a strong message, but the buffalo did not give in. Instead, he headbutted the smaller creature, sending him flying into the air. Surprisingly, the other elephants did not seem to be too frazzled by the event, but the little calf thankfully was not hurt.
The original story and full gallery can be seen at The Mirror
Posted on August 15, 2014
Huffington Post just put up a great and heartbreaking article about the true effects of elephant poaching:
Elephants are extraordinary animals. They’re super smart and emotional, and their relationships are complex. They’ve been known to show compassion, empathy, altruism, self-awareness and grief. People the world over love elephants; some even worship them.
But these majestic creatures are also one of the planet’s most threatened. African elephants, for instance, are being driven to extinction by poaching, killed en masse for their magnificent tusks. “I could take you tomorrow to a park and show you fresh carcasses. It’s a tidal wave of destruction flooding across the continent,” long-time ranger and conservationist Rory Young told The Huffington Post last month. “Ivory is beautiful. The problem is, we just can’t do this anymore.”
Read the full article Here.
