Within a day of arriving on the Mediterranean island of Malta on their southbound migration last August, three of 18 white storks were shot and killed by poachers. Less than two weeks later, just one of the birds was left alive. By Aug. 29, 19 days since the flock arrived, all of the birds had […]
Tag: poaching
POLL: Should China impose strict regulations on bird poaching?
Bird poaching – for meat or for the pet trade – has become a silent epidemic across China, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of migratory birds each year. Gu Xuan, a young conservationist, is determined to break this cycle of death and destruction, and set the birds free. This video was first […]
From a new bird to a new community reserve: India’s tribe sets example
SINGCHUNG, India — “Follow the rustling in the bushes,” whispers Phurpa Tsering, tiptoeing aside. I hear a brief low-pitched call. A bird, larger than a sparrow but smaller than a pigeon, stirs in the branches before diving deeper into another bush in the ravine. Its partner trails behind, revealing a fleeting glimpse of the bird’s […]
Man Who Killed Hundreds of Deer Must Watch ‘Bambi’ Every Month in Prison
Trophy hunters David Berry; his sons, David Berry Jr. and Kyle Berry; and about a dozen others killed hundreds of deer in Missouri over a period of three years. After they shot the deer, they cut off and took the heads, leaving the bodies behind to rot. “While there are some cases where poachers go […]
Lion poaching: the brutal new threat to Africa’s prides
“That’s fresh, just a few hours old,” says Kris Everatt, pointing at a clear print of a lion’s paw in the hot dust. “It’s the ghost pride.” The print is female. A bigger male print is soon spotted, also leading towards a precious water hole, then a smaller one. “A cub, less than two years […]
Humanity is ‘cutting down the tree of life’, warn scientists
Humanity’s ongoing annihilation of wildlife is cutting down the tree of life, including the branch we are sitting on, according to a stark new analysis. More than 300 different mammal species have been eradicated by human activities. The new research calculates the total unique evolutionary history that has been lost as a result at a […]
Loss of forest elephant may make Earth ‘less inhabitable for humans’
Children in every corner of the globe can identify an elephant in a wildlife lineup. They are as recognizable as any basic shape and as endearing as any household pet. Yet the same cannot be said for the hundreds of tropical flora and fauna that are liable to disappear should forest elephant populations continue to […]
DNA From Elephant Tusks Exposes the Cartels Killing Them
While poachers continue to put the future survival of Africa’s elephants at risk, scientists using DNA to track ivory and link the criminals behind the mass slaughter to the trade. With the exception of two government sales held in 1999 and 2008, the international trade in ivory has been banned since 1989, but the growing […]