Hwange lion killings ‘undermine conservation efforts’

9 May 2017 | Namibia Sun | Staff reporter |

Namibia is planning to sell five baby elephants to a zoo in Dubai.  This was confirmed yesterday by the minister of environment and tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, who told Namibian Sun that a permit had been issued to export these elephants to Dubai.  According to Shifeta the elephants are between four and eight years old and … Full Story ?

2017 | Biological Conservation | M.S. Rogan, P.A. Lindsey, C.J. Tamblinge, K.A. Golabeka, M.J. Chaseh, K. Collinsd, J.W. McNutta |

ABSTRACT Illegal bushmeat hunting is a global threat to wildlife, but its secretive and unregulated nature undermines e?orts to mitigate its impacts on wildlife and wildlife-based industries. We investigated the scale of illegal bushmeat hunting in the Okavango Delta, Botswana (~20,000 km2) to assess its potential contribution to wildlife population declines. Approximately 1,800 illegal hunters … Full Story ?

May 2017 | WildAid | Susie Watts, WildAid |

RECOMMENDATIONS SOUTH AFRICA SHOULD APPOINT A SPECIAL COURT TO DEAL WITH ALL RHINO HORN CASES SOUTH AFRICA SHOULD VIGOROUSLY PROSECUTE MIDDLEMEN AND KINGPINS SOUTH AFRICA SHOULD REINSTATE THE COMMERCIAL RHINO HORN BAN USING THE CORRECT PROCEDURE SOUTH AFRICA SHOULD URGE MOZAMBIQUE TO PROSECUTE CORRUPT OFFICIALS AND THOSE INVOLVED IN POACHING AND SMUGGLING SOUTH AFRICA SHOULD … Full Story ?

18 May 2017 | WildAid | WildAid |

KEY FINDINGS & RECOMMENDATIONS  KEY REPORT FINDINGS    Lack of prosecutions   • South Africa’s rhino crisis has been “stimulated by organized crime” and “facilitated by corruption, procedural incompetence, and a failure to prosecute mid and higher level trade operators,” according to the report.  • While numerous low level rhino poachers have been jailed, suspected … Full Story ?

17 May 2017 | IOL | Melissa Reitz | FREE TO PUBLISH CREDIT CAT

Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) has confirmed that it will not issue permits to hunt trophy elephants with unlimited tusk weights. In a surprise development MTPA permitting authority, Riaan de Lange, confirmed that no permits will be issued for elephants bearing tusks in excess of 40lbs. Instead he said that permits for four 30lbs … Full Story ?