Poachers mercilessly slaughtered four rhinos including a pregnant female at a private game reserve and wounded a fifth with a shot to the head – just to saw off their horns for cash. The gang used high powered rifles fitted with silencers to butcher the herd and even sawed off a prosthetic fibreglass horn which […]
Tag: rhinos
One of world’s last two northern white rhinos withdrawn from breeding program
Scientists striving to save the northern white rhino from extinction have announced their decision to retire one of the world’s last two individuals from their assisted breeding program. The BioRescue consortium resolved to stop harvesting eggs from 32-year-old Najin following an in-depth ethical risk assessment that took many factors into consideration, including her age, reproductive […]
Eldest of world’s last two northern white rhinos retired from breeding programme
One of the world’s last two northern white rhinos is being retired from a breeding programme aimed at saving the species from extinction. Najin, 32, is the mother of Fatu, who is now the only donor left in the programme, which aims to implant artificially developed embryos into another more abundant species of rhino in […]
Fury as British hunters offered ‘cynical’ 20% off to kill African big game on safaris
British hunters are being offered a “cynical” 20% discount to shoot leopards, cheetahs and rhinos in Africa. Hippos, buffalos and elephants are also on the sickening wishlist of targets. Safari boss Brian Roodt told the Sunday Mirror he launched the promotion to lure hunters back to Namibia after the pandemic. He insists hunting is vital […]
Scientists create embryos to save northern white rhino
Scientists working to bring back the functionally extinct northern white rhino announced they had successfully created three additional embryos of the subspecies, bringing the total to 12. One of world’s two remaining live specimens—female Fatu who lives with her mother Najin on Kenya’s 90,000-acre Ol Pejeta wildlife conservancy—provided the eggs for the project, while the […]
Return of the pack: African wild dogs’ epic journey to a new home in Malawi
Under cover of night, a pack of African wild dogs swarms around an impala carcass. Awake and hungry after a 27-hour transcontinental journey, this animated scene in Liwonde national park is a sign of “mission accomplished”: African wild dogs are back in Malawi. “The feeling is absolutely surreal and so emotional,” says Cole du Plessis, […]
Rhino poachers are back after South Africa eases lockdown restrictions
Rhino poaching is on the rise again in South Africa since the government loosened coronavirus restrictions, following a year-long lull due to the pandemic, wildlife parks say. The strict limits on travel, including international travel, imposed in March last year had the happy side effect of keeping poachers at bay. In 2020, 394 rhinos were […]
Perverse ‘pay-to-slay’ clause will allow sick trophy hunters to import slain animals
Hunters will still be able to import slain lions, rhinos, elephants and even polar bears under a new law’s perverse “pay-to-slay” clause. A ban outlawing the importing of the sick souvenirs was unveiled in the Queen’s Speech last Tuesday: Banning the import of hunting trophies from endangered animals abroad and ending the advertising for sale […]