Search results

In the Eastern Cape, Justin Terblanche is known for his love of rhinos. The anti-poacher shares that he's known as the 'Rhino Whisperer' in the area and that his life's mission lies in protecting the gentle giants who once roamed the Earth with far more freedom and in far greater numbers. "Losing [rhinos] would leave an irreplaceable void in the natural world," says Justin. "If we don’t act now, future generations may never see a rhino roaming wild." Working at Lombardini Game Farm, Justin has seen first-hand the impact of poaching. The land was once home to 19 rhinos.

When Edward Ndiritu joined Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, central Kenya, as a rhino monitor in 1996, poaching had already reduced the nation's black rhino population from 20,000 in 1970 to fewer than 300. Driven by a fear that they might disappear completely, Edward worked his way up the ranks to become the head of Lewa's anti-poaching unit. In 2015, his team’s community-minded approach to conservation won him the first Wildlife Ranger Award from conservation charity Tusk. While a rhino hasn't been killed by poachers in Lewa since 2020, the threat endures.

As the world returns to post-covid normality, so do its trade routes and the unfortunate consequence of increased wildlife trafficking, experts say.

A 23-year-old man, Rich Ricardo Chauke, was sentenced to nine years imprisonment after rangers apprehended him with a rifle and an axe in Kruger National Park.

As Malawi registers a drop in ivory and rhino horn trafficking, it has noticed an increase in pangolin poaching with related arrests having tripled between 2019 and 2020.