SPECIAL FEATURE | Gorilla mania is not a recent phenomena as you might think. A long succession of fascinating people have been caught in the spell of the mountain gorillas. The first scientist to study gorillas in the wild was Carl Akeley of American Museum of natural history. He journeyed to …
Read More »‘Rich nations must pay for African conservation’
African Leaders demand compensation for protecting the world’s carbon sinks ANALYSIS | RONALD MUSOKE | African leaders, business executives, and climate change activists have stressed the need for financial resources to be mobilized to ensure that the African continent restores and protects its critical ecosystems which are critical in sucking …
Read More »President Kagame joins ‘Giants Club’ conservation initiative
Kigali, Rwanda | RONALD MUSOKE | President Paul Kagame of Rwanda has become the sixth African head of state to join the Giants Club, an international conservation initiative that connects leaders of African states with significant large mammal populations to financiers, conservationists and scientists. Kagame has now joined Presidents; Yoweri …
Read More »Rhino said to be world’s oldest dies aged 57 in Tanzania
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania | AFP | A black rhino believed to be the oldest in the world has died in Tanzania at the age of 57, according to authorities in Ngorongoro where the animal was living. The female rhino, named Fausta, died of what is believed to be natural …
Read More »Contentious Uganda hydro project back on the table
Kampala, Uganda | AFP | Uganda will approve a feasibility study into building a hydro power station near the awe-inspiring Murchison Falls, the tourism ministry said Friday, three months after vowing to scrap the project. The about-turn has infuriated tourism operators who fear the 360-megawatt project on the Victoria …
Read More »African countries unhappy about restricted trade in giraffes, elephants
Wildlife protections tightened as southern Africa protests Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | A global wildlife summit has decided to regulate trade in giraffes and tighten protections for endangered animals including elephants, triggering a threat from disgruntled southern African nations to leave an international treaty. Parties to the Convention on International …
Read More »Uganda abandons hydro project near Murchison Falls
Kampala, Uganda | AFP | Uganda has scrapped plans to construct a hydro power station near Murchison Falls, an official said Wednesday, a project tourism operators had warned would irreversibly scar one of East Africa’s natural wonders. Cabinet agreed the proposed 360-megawatt project on the Victoria Nile in Murchison …
Read More »Scientists a step closer to saving northern white rhino from extinction
Ol Pejeta, Kenya | AFP | Veterinarians have successfully harvested eggs from the last two surviving northern white rhinos, taking them one step closer to bringing the species back from the brink of extinction, scientists said in Kenya on Friday. Science is the only hope for the northern white rhino …
Read More »Wildlife summit to discuss how to save Africa’s rhinos, elephants
Wildlife summit mulls trade rules to counter ‘unprecedented’ species declines Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | Conservationists warned of “unprecedented” species declines Saturday as countries met in Geneva to tighten rules on trade in elephant ivory and products from other endangered animal and plants. Thousands of conservationists and policymakers from more …
Read More »’10 steps ahead’: Kenya’s tech war on wildlife poachers
Ol Pejeta, Kenya | AFP | Every morning, at the far perimeter of the wildlife reserve capped by Mount Kenya, a khaki-clad ranger meticulously sweeps the earth of animal footprints, covering their tracks from any poachers. It’s an antiquated approach to outsmarting would-be hunters, but this ranger is not alone. …
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