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Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers are pursuing people believed to have been involved in the killing of a giraffe in Warabo Forest, Wajir South Sub-County. The incident was reported at Leheley Police Station on August 23, 2026, local officials said. According to police, KWS Wajir County officers received a tip-off from members of the public around 3 pm that two people believed to be involved were travelling towards Warabo Forest in a Suzuki Alto. Upon reaching the area, the officers found that a giraffe had been killed and its meat removed, leaving behind the animal’s head and…

For 25 years, VFAPU has protected wildlife in and around Victoria Falls, where people and animals share the same urban landscape. Its work combines patrols, technology, trained dogs, intelligence networks and community cooperation to disrupt poaching. Bushmeat, snaring, deforestation and wildlife trafficking remain serious threats, particularly to vulnerable species such as pangolins. Recent arrests and fewer snaring incidents show that sustained conservation efforts are making a difference - but the threat has not disappeared.

Since 2018, about 2.5 million illegally harvested succulent plants have been seized by authorities in the Western Cape. But this probably accounts for less than one quarter of the numbers poached, CapeNature told the Western Cape provincial Parliament on Tuesday. CapeNature, the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), and TRAFFIC, which monitors wildlife trade, made presentations to the provincial standing committee for environmental affairs, as part of a plan to coordinate a response to poaching.

Well managed protected areas can reduce the illegal wildlife trade, but the reality is that this crime will persist as long as trafficking networks remain, a new op-ed says. Corruption often provides traffickers a way to circumvent and undermine even well-managed protected areas, suppressing enforcement and concealing wildlife losses. "The question is not whether we can afford to invest in dismantling trafficking networks. Given what we now know about their reach and capacity, the question is whether we can afford not to," a new op-ed argues. This article is a commentary.

A poaching incident took place at a farm in the Kunene Region this weekend, claiming the life of a pregnant rhino and injuring her calf. This was confirmed by the farm owner, Harvey Boulter, who revealed that the pregnant rhino was shot about 10 times. He said the calf was also significantly injured in the attack. He confirmed that no suspects had yet been arrested. Boulter said he had had the rhino on the farm for about 14 years and that she would have given birth to her sixth calf had she not been poached this weekend.

NEW population estimates for Namibia’s large carnivores have raised concern over declining wildlife numbers and growing human-wildlife conflict, prompting conservation stakeholders to call for stronger coordination, improved monitoring and greater support for communities living alongside predators.

A booming illegal trade in rare succulents is threatening South Africa's unique plant life, with demand from collectors driving widespread poaching. South Africa is one of the most biodiverse regions in the world when it comes to succulent plants, which are mostly located in the country's Northern and Western Cape, and especially in the Succulent Karoo Biome. But succulents - plant species with fleshy leaves or parts that make them suited to surviving arid regions - are unique and this is driving a growing illegal poaching trade.

Anti-poaching rangers exchanged gunfire with two suspected poachers at a farm in the Outjo district on Saturday morning, leaving one suspect injured. According to the police, the incident occurred at about 09h00 when two men, aged 30 and 45, allegedly entered the farm Kifaru and were spotted by anti-poaching rangers on patrol. The suspects allegedly opened fire after seeing the rangers, who returned fire and injured the 30-year-old suspect. He was transported to a hospital at Outjo for medical attention, while the 45-year-old suspect allegedly fled from the scene.

Ant trafficking is emerging as a serious new wildlife crime, especially in East Africa. Booming demand for exotic pet ants in Asia and beyond drives the trade. Smuggling ants can cause real ecological harm, including colony collapse and invasive-species risks. Kenya says much of the trade is illegal, with no permits yet applied for and multiple laws being breached. The article argues that the biggest enforcement gap is online platforms, where wildlife trade is still widely advertised.

Authorities in Vietnam have announced a major seizure of ivory they say was illegally shipped from Africa, Vietnamese media reported Thursday. The haul of 221 pieces of elephant ivory weighing 1,193 kilograms (2,630 pounds) was announced and displayed to the media on Wednesday at Quy Nhơn port in the central province of Gia Lai, said reports by the Vietnam News Agency and other news outlets. Vietnam is a major hub for the illicit trade of wildlife, both dead and alive.

Two men who were arrested on charges about the alleged illegal export of seal genitals from Namibia in January last year were found not guilty in the Windhoek Regional Court on Friday. The seal genitals the two accused, Chinese citizens Hou Xuecheng (50) and Zhang Xianming (44), had in their possession at Hosea Kutako International Airport east of Windhoek on 7 January last year were legally bought by Hou, magistrate Leopold Hangalo found in the judgement in which he acquitted both men on all the charges they were facing.

In a small area of Namibia's Erongo Mountains, a tiny, pebble-like plant grows on a very thin layer of gravel. This succulent, Lithops werneri, is found in just one tiny 4 square-kilometer (1.5 square-mile) area, according to the IUCN, the global wildlife conservation authority. With more than an 80% decline in its population since 1981 and fewer than 200 plants remaining in the wild, the species was listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List in February 2026.

Two lion cubs rescued after being illegally trafficked into Israel last year have been relocated to a big-cat sanctuary in South Africa, the Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA) said on Thursday. Ben Tzur and Uri arrived at the Animal Defenders International (ADI) sanctuary after a 30-hour journey that included a stopover in Germany. The pair were released into their new enclosure on Wednesday. The two cubs are among six lions rescued in 2025 after being illegally smuggled into Israel and later found in areas under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) has received financial boost amounting to millions of dollars to prevent, mitigate and respond to rising cases related to human-wildlife conflicts as well as poaching in communal areas, conservancies and national parks. An amount of 96-million-766-thousanda-308 dollars, was made available through a sponsorship by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) to sustain the five-year project, ending in 2027.

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) has launched an intensive investigation into the deaths of 16 elephants in the Amboseli-Kimana-Kitenden ecosystem, with preliminary laboratory findings pointing to cyanide poisoning as the most likely cause. In a statement issued on Thursday, KWS said the elephant deaths were recorded between June 24 and July 31, 2026, across the wider Amboseli landscape, raising fresh concerns over the safety of one of Kenya's most important wildlife conservation areas.

The North Eastern Wildlife Conservancies Association (Neca) has accused the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) of failing to adequately protect the endangered Somali giraffe. Wildlife Neca claims illegal killings in northern Kenya have reached alarming levels. In a letter to KWS Director General Prof Erustus Kanga, Neca chief executive officer Sharmake Mohamed alleged that at least three Somali giraffes are being killed daily in Garissa, Wajir and parts of Mandera counties. The letter was accompanied by photographs of giraffe carcasses reportedly found in Dadaab, Garissa county and…

Two Cape vultures have been given a second chance at life after recovering from lead poisoning and being released back into the wild in the Southern Drakensberg through a collaborative conservation effort. The birds, which spent three and four months in rehabilitation at FreeMe Wildlife, were released on July 30 at the Mzimkulu Vulture Hide in the Underberg by Wildlife ACT, FreeMe Wildlife and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.

Acting prosecutor general Martha Imalwa has applied to freeze N$3,2 million held in the bank account of Yan Qiang, a Chinese businessman. Imalwa alleges the funds are proceeds of unlawful activities linked to illegal abalone trading, money laundering and immigration fraud. The preservation order application, brought under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act, targets funds accumulated between 1 January 2025 and 15 May this year.

Tsukubu: Botanical gardens nationwide are facing a string of rare plant thefts despite the growing installation of security cameras. Preventing such crimes across the vast grounds of these facilities remains difficult, prompting experts to warn that the losses could jeopardise efforts to conserve and study rare species. "The plants were just about to sprout, and our staff and visitors alike were looking forward to seeing them bloom," sighed an official at Hakuba Goryu Alpine Botanical Garden in Hakuba, Nagano Prefecture, which exhibits 300 types of alpine plants.

Police have arrested a man in possession of rhino horn in crime-combating operations in the Helderberg region over the weekend. Among the arrests was a 42-year-old foreign national who was taken into custody after police allegedly uncovered a cache of illegal items at a wine farm in the Croydon area outside Macassar. According to Western Cape police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk, officers acted on information about the alleged illegal sale of liquor at the premises on the afternoon of Saturday, July 25.

Nigerian police on Wednesday said they had arrested and deported a Chinese man who had trafficked 12 tonnes of pangolin scales to China. Pangolins are among the world's most endangered species and their scales are prized in traditional Chinese medicine as a remedy for various ailments, although there is no scientific evidence they have medicinal value. Nigeria is major hub for traffickers sending their scales to Asia. Nigerian police said they had "successfully arrested and repatriated a Chinese fugitive, Cai Jinlian" to Shanghai to face wildlife trafficking charges.

Officials are investigating the deaths of 15 elephants over the past month in Kenya's Amboseli national park. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) said 10 of the elephants showed signs of partial paralysis before dying within two days. The remaining five carcasses were too decomposed or had been scavenged, making it impossible to establish the cause of death, the wildlife authority said. Most of those affected were female elephants and their calves, with only one male among the dead. The deaths happened in the Kimana sanctuary and Kuku ranch areas surrounding the park, officials said…

In Vietnam's Pu Mat National Park, which borders Laos, an antipoaching unit is integrating high-tech tools with on-the-ground patrols to help turn the tide on illegal wildlife poaching. The antipoaching unit (APU) was formed through a partnership in 2018 between the NGO Save Vietnam’s Wildlife (SVW) and the park, to address the widespread use of wire snares and the limited capacity of forest rangers, APU coordinator Huu Trung Nguyen told contributor Campbell Rusden in an interview for Mongabay.

Members of the Namibian Police Force in the border region of Zambezi have been hailed for a job well done in intercepting cattle rustled from Botswana into Zambia via Namibia by suspected Zambian rustlers. This follows the interception of twelve cattle bearing Botswana brand marks, as confirmed by the Zambezi Regional Commander, Commissioner Julia Sakuwa-Neo, recently. Botswana’s Member of Parliament for Okavango East, Gabotsholwe Disho, told NBC News that members of the Nampol are doing a commendable job in intercepting cattle stolen in Botswana en-route to Zambia in Namibia.

Three men have each been sentenced to seven years' imprisonment by the Senanga Subordinate Court after pleading guilty to the illegal possession of elephant ivory, elephant meat, a firearm and ammunition in Sioma Ngwezi National Park. The convictions stem from an operation conducted by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) on 27 June 2026, during which Pumulo Libwenta (48), Malandiso Malikiso (45), Twambo Liwanga (47) and Samboma Silumbu (30) were apprehended in Zambia's Western Province.

Zambia's anti-poaching response combines government law enforcement, community scouts, canine units, intelligence-led patrols and conservation partnerships. Recent evidence shows stronger patrol capacity and more arrests in some landscapes, but bushmeat poaching, snaring, trafficking, habitat pressure and human-wildlife conflict remain serious challenges.

Authorities in Mexico's Jalisco state seized a parcel containing 105 queen harvester ants concealed in toys on July 9. The shipment, sent from El Salto in Jalisco and destined for Laos, was falsely labeled "collectible figures," authorities said in a press release. The parcel delivery company reported a suspicious package to Mexico's Federal Attorney for - Authorities in Mexico's Jalisco state seized a parcel containing 105 queen harvester ants concealed in toys on July 9.

The members of the Middelburg Flying Squad were on patrol on the N12 between Ogies and Kendal on Wednesday, 22 July 2026, at about 23:45, when they spotted a suspicious silver Toyota Etios with Mpumalanga registration numbers. Police stopped and searched the two occupants and the vehicle. Inside the vehicle, they found a black jacket covering two rhino horns and two hunting rifles. Police also discovered rounds of ammunition in the car.

Five suspects were expected to appear in the Malmesbury Magistrate's Court after they were nabbed during the sale of an endangered animal. The suspects were arrested at a petrol station on Friday. Police spokesperson, Constable Ndakhe Gwala, confirmed Saps acted on a tip-off about a planned pangolin sale at a petrol station. "The police were informed that the exchange would take place at a petrol station on the N7 in Malmesbury. They followed up on the information and waited at the meeting point until they spotted the maroon VW Polo.

Pangolin scales and other body parts trafficked internationally appear to come from the same areas that supply the animals for local wild meat markets, a new study has found. It created a DNA database and location-prediction model for three threatened species: the white-bellied (Phataginus tricuspis), Sunda (Manis javanica) and Chinese (Manis pentadactyla) pangolins. Pangolins are the world's most trafficked wild mammals; estimates suggest more than 1 million animals have been captured from the wild over the past decade.

Illegal wildlife trade, primarily catering to Chinese nationals, is thriving in Cambodia, according to a new undercover investigation by Earth League International, a U.S.-based NGO fighting environmental crime. Investigators identified five kingpins allegedly running transnational criminal networks in Cambodia that are involved in wildlife smuggling, human and drug trafficking and operate scam centers that defraud targets of money. ELI also mapped trade networks and gathered information on what species are sold and who buys them.

Two men have been arrested after police swooped on them in possession of raw elephant ivory weighing a hefty 8.5 kilograms. The latest crackdown on Malawi's illegal wildlife trade. Green Banda, 25, from Bereu Village in Traditional Authority Maseya, and Cosmos Tchale, 20, from Chindiole Village in Traditional Authority Ngabu, were caught red-handed by police in Nchalo, Chikwawa District.

Namibia recorded its lowest rhino poaching levels in more than a decade, marking a major conservation milestone. While 41 rhinos were poached in 2025, the number is a 53% decrease from 2024. Wildlife crime continues to decline across the country, with major reductions in rhino poaching and other wildlife crimes involving elephants and pangolins, according to new findings from the Blue Rhino Task Team’s 2025 Namibia Wildlife Protection and Law Enforcement Annual Report.

Botswana and Zimbabwe have introduced patrols by traditional regiments along parts of their shared border to help combat cross-border criminal activities. Regiments are male age groups traditionally organised by communities and are increasingly being used to support public initiatives. The patrols will take place along Botswana's eastern border with Zimbabwe. The introduction of traditional regiments aims to provide additional support to members of the Botswana Defence Force and Botswana Police Service.

Submissions before judgment is served in the trial of two Chinese nationals accused of unlawfully attempting to export restricted seal genitals without the required permit have been postponed in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court. The matter was scheduled for submissions last week, but proceedings were deferred to a later date. The accused, Hou Xue Cheng and Xian Ming Zhang, are facing various charges in the common purpose of possessing or dealing in controlled wildlife products.

During the Covid-19 lockdowns a curious trend bloomed: housebound people across the globe sought solace in greenery which led to an explosion in the popularity of succulents and other rare and endangered plants. These resilient, sculptural plants became symbols of comfort and a connection with nature in a world that had suddenly become claustrophobic. But while succulents bring healing to many homes, how they have come to be traded leaves lasting scars on the landscapes and communities of the Karoo. The surge in demand has given rise to a flourishing underground trade.

The Ministry of Environment and Tourism has intensified efforts to curb the illegal harvesting and trade of Namibia's iconic lithops plant, warning that the highly sought-after succulents are increasingly targeted by organised wildlife trafficking networks.

The Skukuza Regional Court has sentenced 33-year-old Madala Matsane to an effective 10 years' direct imprisonment after finding him guilty of multiple poaching-related offences committed in the Kruger National Park (KNP). Although Matsane initially pleaded not guilty, he later changed his plea to guilty.

Illegal wildlife trade (IWT) generates substantial profits, often laundered through complex financial networks. To dismantle trafficking networks and combat the associated corruption, law enforcement agencies must be able to detect and trace illicit financial flows. In Madagascar, the vast majority of IWT-related offences are not subject to financial investigations. As a result, those who profit from these crimes often escape prosecution, while asset seizures and recoveries remain rare. Weak financial controls allow wildlife crime to remain highly lucrative and relatively low-…

In October 2025, the Northern Cape High Court ruled that breeder Hendrick Diedericks can export horn from captive-bred white rhinos. The government wants to appeal but has not yet been granted leave. The arrest of Vietnamese national Huy Bao Tran, tied to dozens of seized and stolen horns, has been cited by the EIA as evidence against legalization, despite no link to the legitimate breeding operations at issue.

The grudging release of previously undisclosed mortality data from the Kruger National Park offers a rare glimpse into how elephants are dying. But the numbers reveal something else: how little the public knows about the decisions made in managing one of the world’s most important elephant populations. What has received remarkably little public attention is a different question: how many elephants actually die in Kruger every year, and why? Until now, the answer has been surprisingly difficult to obtain.

A 32-year-old male suspect has been arrested following a rhino poaching incident in the Pretoriuskop section of the Kruger National Park (KNP). The arrest was made at approximately 23:55 on Sunday, 05 July 2026, after Field Rangers conducting an observation patrol encountered four suspected rhino poachers. The rangers pursued the suspects in an attempt to apprehend them. During the pursuit, a shootout ensued between the Field Rangers and the suspects. One of the suspects sustained gunshot wounds. The injured suspect was arrested at the scene and found in possession of a rifle.

The suspect remains in custody and is expected to appear in the Ohangwena Magistrate's Court tomorrow. Police investigations are continuing.

Our rangers recovered 90 snares and traps, detected five poacher incursions, and helped rescue two animals caught in snares. A buffalo bull was successfully treated and is expected to recover, while the loss of a lioness to another snare just days after her rescue was a devastating reminder of the ongoing threat facing Victoria Falls' wildlife. There was also a major intelligence-led win, with two suspects arrested in connection with pangolin scales - an important step in tackling the illegal wildlife trade. Thank you to every ranger, partner and supporter who continues to stand…

A 2022 study that set out to reconstruct a realistic baseline estimated that around 1970 the continent held somewhere between roughly 83,000 and 101,000 lions, a more careful figure than older guesses of 200,000. Set against today’s estimates of about 20,000 to 25,000, that works out to a decline of around 72 to 77 per cent over about fifty years, or close to three-quarters. It is worth being honest that these are estimates. Counting lions across vast, remote and often unstable landscapes is difficult, and different methods give different totals.

A private rhino breeder describes the dismissal of the government's application against a previous court ruling, as a resounding victory for wildlife conservation. A private rhino owner is one step closer to legally exporting rhino horn after the Northern Cape High Court yesterday denied the state leave to appeal against an earlier ruling to allow the sale of horns obtained from captive-bred rhinos to overseas markets.

EMS Foundation Warns Diedericks Rhino Horn Trade Judgment Could Fundamentally Weaken Rhino Protections PUBLIC STATEMENT 4 JULY 2026 The EMS Foundation strongly opposes South African rhino breeder Hendrick Diedericks legal efforts to export hundreds of rhino horns. We view his litigation and requested captive-breeding exemptions as a perilous attempt to circumvent international trade bans and reopen backdoor commercial markets.

For more than a decade, not a single elephant, lion or rhino has been poached in Akagera National Park, marking a major conservation milestone after 15 years of sustained anti-poaching efforts. The campaign has helped more than double the park's large mammal population, from 4,476 in 2010 to 11,338 in 2023, according to park data, underscoring one of Rwanda's most remarkable wildlife recovery stories. Once on the brink due to rampant poaching and human pressure, Rwanda's only savannah national park has transformed into a thriving conservation area.