Humans are driving species to extinction 1,000 times faster than what is considered natural. Now, new research underscores the extent of the planet’s impoverishment. Extinctions don’t just rob the planet of species but also of functional and phylogenetic diversity, the authors of a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences argue. […]
Tag: rhinos
Trophy hunters killed one animal every three minutes over the last decade, damning study reveals, with creatures gunned down from helicopters
Bloodthirsty trophy-hunters are killing one animal every three minutes, a damning exposé of the industry has revealed. More than 1.7 million animals, including lions, elephants and endangered rhinos, have been slaughtered in the past decade, with wealthy hunters competing to kill the most highly prized creatures. The devastating figures have emerged in a book which highlights […]
Two new Javan rhino calves are spotted in the species’ last holdout
JAKARTA — Conservationists in Indonesia have reported the presence of two newborn Javan rhinoceros calves in the only place on Earth where the critically endangered species is still found, bringing its total population to 74. The calves — a female and a male that conservation officials have named Helen and Luther — were spotted with […]
Rhinos Are Also Coronavirus Victims
As Africa’s national parks and game reserves have emptied of tourists and reduced ranger patrols amid the coronavirus pandemic, conservationists say a troubling trend has taken root. Opportunistic poachers, taking advantage of the lull, are maiming and killing rhinos and other endangered creatures in areas usually considered safe from such attacks ― and there are […]
Red-billed Oxpeckers Protect Black Rhinos From Poachers (but Also Drink Their Blood)
There’s long been a debate over whether Red-billed Oxpeckers earn their keep. As their name suggests, these common birds of Africa’s open lands like to hang around with domestic cattle and many large, wild mammal species. They eat ticks and other pesky parasites clinging to their hosts. Less helpfully, they also sometimes peck at wounds […]
Dogs trained to protect wildlife have saved 45 rhinos from poachers in South Africa
A pack of dogs that trained to protect wildlife have already saved 45 rhinos from poachers in South Africa. The dogs, who range from a beagle to bloodhound, began training from birth and learnt how to handle all the pressures of real operations before working at 18 months-old. Sean Viljoen, who is based in Cape […]
Leading South African rhino poaching detective shot dead on way to work
One of South Africa’s top detectives, famous for capturing rhinoceros poachers, was gunned down early Tuesday on his way to work. Lt Colonel LeRoy Bruwer, 49, working in the Mpumalanga province, 200 miles north east of Johannesburg, was described by colleagues as a “wildlife fanatic.” As a senior officer in the Directorate for Priority Crime […]
Indonesia to capture 3 wild Sumatran rhinos to add to breeding population
EAST LAMPUNG, Indonesia — Officials in Indonesia say they hope to capture three Sumatran rhinos from the wild for a recently expanded sanctuary where experts are carrying out breeding attempts to save the species from extinction. The Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary (SRS) in Way Kambas National Park, in Lampung province at the southern end of Sumatra […]