Wildlife from space: Winners of Satellites for Biodiversity Award named
by Abhishyant Kidangoor The winners of the second edition of the Satellites for Biodiversity Award have been announced. The winners include conservation initiatives that use satellite data to monitor and protect wildlife such as chimpanzees, bears, wolves and rhinos in South Sudan, Peru, Ethiopia and Nepal respectively. The award was launched in December 2022 as a…
Navigating the rise in conflicts between humans and fishing cats in Bangladesh
by Mahadi Al Hasnat In a quiet village called Charghikamala in Rajbari district, a sad story unfolded one night. Helal, a villager, heard his goat crying out in fear. When he went to check, he found a beautiful creature lying still under the moonlight — a fishing cat, with fur like twilight and eyes shining like…
Nigeria, Cameroon sign wildlife protection pact
By Timothy Obiezu ABUJA, NIGERIA — Nigeria and Cameroon on Friday signed a historic partnership designed to protect wildlife, preserve critical habitats and tackle illegal wildlife trade across their borders. Nigeria’s environment minister, his Cameroonian counterpart and other dignitaries were present at a signing ceremony for the pact, which provides legal support for the joint protection…
A single gang of poachers may have killed 10% of Javan rhinos since 2019
by Jeremy Hance It was news that rhino conservationists had long feared. Indonesian media are reporting that a poaching ring allegedly killed seven Javan rhinos (Rhinoceros sondaicus), and possibly more, from 2019-2023, potentially wiping out 10% of the entire global population of the critically endangered species. Ardi Andono, the head of the government agency that runs Ujung Kulon…
Deforestation haunts top Peruvian reserve and its Indigenous communities
by Aimee Gabay A recent report has revealed a spike in deforestation in the buffer zone of one of the world’s best-protected areas, Peru’s Amarakaeri Communal Reserve. Between 2001 and 2023, 19,978 hectares (49,367 acres) of forest were lost in the buffer zone of the reserve, which is home to the ancestral lands of the Indigenous Harakbut, Yine…
Nepal’s tigers & prey need better grassland management: Interview with Shyam Thapa
by Abhaya Raj Joshi As winter bids adieu to the Northern Hemisphere and the mercury peaks and humidity plummets, most of Nepal’s plains and hills become tinderboxes awaiting a spark. As officials face a gargantuan task of controlling wildfires, some authorities from Nepal’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation are themselves involved in starting fires…
Mexico’s avocado industry harms monarch butterflies, will U.S. officials act? (commentary)
by Stephanie Feldstein Monarch butterflies are returning to gardens across the United States, but a few months ago, I stood in a mountain forest in Mexico where the monarchs spend the winter. They clustered on trees by the thousands and when the sun hit them, they swarmed in a cloud of bright orange confetti. I was…
Rising rhino poaching in South Africa
Keith Somerville Some rights reserved Shock and disappointment at rise in rhino poaching in South Africa. A staggering 499 rhinos were killed by poachers in South Africa in 2023, an increase of 51 on the poaching numbers for 2022. This disappointing figure is a chilling reminder that the South African government and wildlife authorities have…
Bangladesh uses satellite transmitters on saltwater crocodiles in Asia’s first
by Rafiqul Islam DHAKA — In a breakthrough in saltwater crocodile conservation in the country, Bangladesh has started using a satellite tagging system to monitor the species’ movements, habits, and life span in the Sundarbans mangroves. These mangrove forests are the animal’s only wild habitat in Bangladesh. On March 13, Bangladesh Forest Department, for the first time…
Study challenges use of charismatic wildlife as umbrella species for conservation
by Basten Gokkon JAKARTA — In wildlife conservation management, the best species to focus on to maximize protection of a region’s biodiversity aren’t necessarily the most charismatic ones, a new study from Indonesia’s Leuser Ecosystem suggests. Conservation managers have long prioritized the management of what are known as umbrella species, on the basis that protecting these…
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ANTI POACHING UNIT 