In late February, a local worker in a rice field on the outskirts of Bafatá, Guinea-Bissau, discovered a group of around 200 recently-deceased vultures. This shocking scene was the first of many to emerge across the West African nation over the next few days. Soon, more incidents of mass vulture deaths were reported, both on […]
Tag: poachers
China outrage: How pangolins are ‘force-fed rice to increase price’ on black market
Pangolins, which are often mistaken as reptiles, are actually the only wholly-scaled mammals in the world, with four known species found in Asia and two living in Sub-Saharan Africa. These small, soft animals have been under threat for decades from poachers, as their scales are used in Chinese traditional medicines, leading to some species in […]
‘Filthy bloody business:’ Poachers kill more animals as coronavirus crushes tourism to Africa
Ryan Tate is supposed to be in South Africa right now helping to fight off poachers who hack horns off rhinos and kill elephants for their ivory tusks. But since the country announced a national lockdown in March to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Tate is stuck in the U.S. He can’t join his […]
Images from a dropped phone reveal the ugly truth behind bonobo trafficking
In the early morning hours of Feb. 23, a gunshot rang out from deep within a Congolese forest. And then another, followed by one last bang. The shots were fired about 10 kilometers (6 miles) outside the village of Mondombe in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where an experienced anti-poaching team from local NGO Conserv […]
Petitions: Poachers in India Continue Killing Animals Despite Lockdowns
With humans on lockdown, there have been some victories for nature and animals. For instance, pollution has decreased and animals are living life more freely. Animals have been seen roaming and exploring without the interference of too many humans. However, even with lockdowns and businesses closed down and people staying home, there are still humans […]
Poachers kill 3 near-extinct giant ibises amid pandemic pressure in Cambodia
The giant Ibis, a mega-sized bird that can stand more than a meter (3 feet) tall and weigh more than 4 kilograms (9 pounds), was once thought to be extinct in Cambodia. But in 1993, scientists working with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) rediscovered the birds on the border with Laos, and since then, a […]
WWF-Austria Warns: Criminals Taking Advantage of COVID-19 Crisis for Attacks on Protected Birds of Prey in Central and Eastern Europe
9 April, 2020 (Vienna) – Criminals are using the COVID-19 pandemic as cover for a significant increase in wildlife crime in Central and Eastern Europe. In March alone, in total at least 27 protected birds of prey were illegally killed in Austria and another three in neighboring Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia. Several other suspected cases […]
You can’t leave that lion there: big cats nap on road in South Africa amid lockdown
Lions and other wild animals have been taking advantage of the peace and quiet in South Africa’s vast Kruger national park as the country’s strict lockdown continues. On Thursday, park ranger Richard Sowry took photographs of a pride of at least eight lions, including a few young cubs, snoozing on the tarmac just outside one […]