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A large part of his work involves removing snares from wildlife, and "sadly, incidents of snaring have been increasing across Kruger in recent years, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic", he wrote in South African National Parks (SANParks) 2023/2024 research report. The use of tracking collars - which send alerts either when animals enter identified snaring hotspot areas or have been stationary for a certain period - has recently become an important tool in managing endangered species such as wild dogs.

The battle between mining and conservation tourism rages on in the dry rocky plains of the Sorris Sorris Conservation Area, the High Court in Windhoek and in the boardroom of the Namibian Competition Commission (NaCC). At stake are promising tin deposits that could mean big bucks from increasing global demand, as opposed to preserving the natural beauty of the area where the endangered black rhinos roam. Community-driven tourism and their private-sector partners strive to keep their symbiotic relationship with the rhinos alive. "Get rid of us and the rhinos are gone with the…

A group of highly endangered black rhinos is protected until 6 March to be peacefully protected by the conservation areas - Sorris Sorris, Uibasen Twyfelfontein and Doro ! Nawas - to walk. Then the court dispute will proceed to determine whether mining operations may continue in this area. Acting High Court Judge Anne-Doris Hans-Kaumbi ordered on Tuesday that the trial over planned open-pit tin mines in the area will not proceed until March. Until then, interdicts against further development of any new mining operations in the area remain in force.

National Botanical Garden curator Leevi Nanyeni has called on Namibians to support the fight against the growing trend of poaching of vulnerable and indigenous plants. Namibia is home to some of the world's most unique plant species, all categorised, catalogued and preserved at the National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) in the capital. "These days, we are increasingly dealing with plant poaching," Nanyeni said. "Plant poaching has become a tendency. I am already aware of up to ten registered cases of it – just between 2019 and 2023.

Die Nasionale Botaniese Tuin se kurator, Leevi Nanyeni, het 'n beroep op Namibiërs gedoen om die stryd teen die toenemende stropery van inheemse en kwesbare plante te ondersteun. Namibië huisves van die wêreld se mees unieke plantspesies, wat almal by die Nasionale Botaniese Navorsingsinstituut (NBRI) in die hoofstad gekategoriseer, gekatalogiseer en bewaar word. Nanyeni het kommer uitgespreek oor die groeiende tendens van plantstropery.

A six-year jail sentence for a man who smuggled 1 100 Emperor scorpions, 42 Bell's hingeback tortoises and a water lizard. Seventeen years imprisonment for elephant poachers in the Kruger National Park. A 10-year jail sentence for a pangolin poacher. 

Four succulent poachers have been sentenced to seven years imprisonment for trying to steal 14 endangered Halfmens (Pachypodium namaquanum) succulent plants within the |Ai|Ais/Richtersveld Transfrontier Park in the Northern Cape.

South Africa's diverse wildlife means it plays a "devastating role" as both source and transit country for wildlife trafficking. The most popular animal parts include rhino horn, abalone, pangolin and ivory, which is moved through South Africa to the East.

In just over a week, Ray Jansen and his team have recovered four trafficked pangolins - three of them pregnant - in sting operations from the illicit trade in various parts of South Africa. In total, 11 people were arrested by a team of dedicated and specialised law enforcement officers.The operations are a sign, says Jansen, of the African Pangolin Working Group, that pangolin poaching has resumed under Level 3 lockdown restrictions.

The world is dealing with an unbelievable spike in the illegal wildlife trade, one that in many ways threatens the past few decades of gains in conservation efforts. To combat the rising threat from poaching, conservationists have devised several strategies, some of which have been greatly effective.

Poaching incidents could increase during the lockdown period as criminal networks try to take advantage of the closing of parks, perceiving a reduced presence of law enforcement now dealing with the Covid-19 emergency. “We are in receipt of intelligence that known poaching organisers operating across southern Africa intend taking advantage of the current situation,” said Sarah Stoner, director of intelligence at the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC).

Guyanese finches are almost always smuggled in hair curlers from Guyana to New York, while pig-nosed turtles are trafficked in high amounts, declared as a marine species, and flown from a regional Indonesian airport to Jakarta before flying to China. The greatest variation in wildlife trafficking in air transport doesn’t necessarily occur between regions but between the species or wildlife products trafficked, the specific methods used with the routes taken by wildlife traffickers heavily dependent on wildlife type, says the Runway to Extinction report:…

Three "pioneering pooches" from the succulent detection canine team at the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) have made their first official bust, outwitting plant poachers in the Northern Cape. The team consists of three scent detection dogs: Ike, a German shepherd; Reaper, a Belgian malinois; and Delta, a border collie, who have been specifically trained to sniff out succulent plants. Their professional handlers are Esther Matthew and Shadi Henrico. The unit has been working in the Western Cape and Northern Cape to help law enforcement officials screen vehicles at roadblocks.