Mozambique ‘sky island’ expeditions found 4 new species of chameleon – already at risk from forest loss

Male sylvan chameleon (Nadzikambia goodallae) from Mount Ribáuè, Mozambique. Krystal Tolley, CC BY Krystal Tolley, University of Johannesburg

Tropical rainforests are known for their unique biodiversity, with species found nowhere else on Earth. But nearly 30% of tropical rainforest has been destroyed or has become seriously degraded since 1990. Many of these forests have not been fully explored for their biodiversity. This means that the world may be losing species before they are even discovered by modern science.

In Africa, forest loss is rapid; about 25% of the continent’s tropical forest has been lost since 1990, against a backdrop of incomplete knowledge of where the biodiversity is located.

Greatly lagging in this respect are the “sky islands” of northern Mozambique: isolated granite mountains that rise sharply out of the savanna plains. They were left standing when softer rock around them gradually eroded, and can be as high as 3,000 metres elevation. Because they rise so steeply, the sky islands attract clouds and rainfall, feeding moisture to the tropical rainforests on their slopes within an otherwise arid terrain. Isolation has allowed unique species to evolve on each mountain, such as geckos, rodents, fishes, crabs, frogs, butterflies and bats.

Mount Inago. Krystal Tolley, CC BY

Small patch of remaining pristine rainforest at Mount Inago. Krystal Tolley, CC BY

From 2014 to 2018, a research team led by fellow herpetologist Werner Conradie and myself explored these sky island forests to catalogue the species of reptiles found there. We found that each sky island forest is home to a previously unknown species of chameleon within the genus Nadzikambia (forest-dwelling “sylvan chameleons”).

Unfortunately, these chameleons are already at risk of extinction due to the heavy slash-and-burn clearing of the forests, the only place they can call home.

We’ve described these new species, choosing four names to highlight pioneering women scientists whose work inspired us to strive towards new discoveries, but also to call attention to the losses of their forest habitat.

Hunting for chameleons

Over the course of several years, we explored four of Mozambique’s sky islands – Mount Namuli, Mount Inago, Mount Chiperone and Mount Ribáuè – with the aim of cataloguing all reptiles but also in the hopes of finding new species of chameleons. This was because a species of sylvan chameleon had been discovered on one of these mountains during the 1960s, but they were not known from any other mountains.

However, chameleons can be very difficult to find, given their ability to remain camouflaged against the background coupled with their slow movements. They are more easily spotted at night while they are sleeping, as they stand out against the vegetation when illuminated by a strong beam of light. Sylvan chameleons are even more difficult to spot than others, as they usually perch high in the thick forest canopy – tens of metres up.

The search meant dealing with some tough conditions: a long, arduous trek up the hot, arid slopes to reach the forest high up the mountain. Establishing a remote base camp was essential. All food, clothes and gear had to be packed into the camp, and we didn’t know how long it would take to find any animals.

At each of these mountains, we surveyed every night for chameleons – no trails to follow, no GPS signal to guide us, no cellphone signal to call for help.

Sometimes we were lucky and found chameleons on the first or second night. At other mountains we were not so lucky, with fruitless searches making it necessary to return another year.

Eventually these mountains revealed their secrets and we discovered four new species of sylvan chameleon, one on each of the four mountains.

Slash-and-burn clearing of rainforest at Mount Inago. Krystal Tolley, CC BY

We don’t know how big their populations are, but we assume they are in decline. Most of their habitat has been destroyed by forest clearing to make way for agriculture, with increasingly rapid losses in the last decade. We estimate that in some cases, 80%-90% of their habitat has been destroyed.

When parts of an ecosystem are lost, the whole becomes unstable and is eventually lost.

Choosing names for the new species

To highlight their predicament, we have described and named these chameleons and have forecast that three of these species are at high risk of extinction.

In particular, we highlight Nadzikambia goodallae from Mount Ribáuè. This species has been named in honour of the distinguished scientist Jane Goodall, whose own study species, the chimpanzee, is under similar pressures from loss of its rainforest habitat.

Female sylvan chameleon (Nadzikambia goodallae) from Mount Ribáuè. Krystal Tolley, CC BY

We also honour the renowned discoverer of the structure of DNA, Rosalind Franklin, by naming the species from Mount Namuli as Nadzikambia franklinae. The use of DNA data from these chameleons was essential to confirm them as new species.

Nadzikambia franklinae from Mount Namuli. Werner Conradie, CC BY

We have dubbed the species from Mount Inago as Nadzikambia evanescens, meaning “vanishing” in Latin, acknowledging the state of the forest destruction.

Male sylvan chameleon (Nadzikambia evanescens) from Mount Inago. Krystal Tolley, CC BY

The final species, Nadzikambia nubila, is named for the cloudy aspect of Mount Chiperone. This species has a lower risk of extinction given that the local community view the forest as sacred, and say it should be protected.

Female sylvan chameleon (Nadzikambia nubila) from Mount Chiperone. Krystal Tolley, CC BY

This latter case is significant, as it demonstrates that wholesale destruction of these forests is not an essential trade-off for local people to thrive. If encouraged and supported, community support and buy-in can be a solution to protect biodiversity in these sensitive ecosystems.

Krystal Tolley, Principal Scientist, University of Johannesburg

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Read More........→April 27, 2026

Endangered Cahow, One of the Rarest Seabirds in the World, Hatched on Nonsuch Island in Bermuda

A Bermuda petrel, or Cahow, on Nonsuch Island – credit, Cahow Recovery Project

Though an event neither singular nor inaugural, the hatching of an endangered seabird and national icon of Bermuda is still being celebrated wildly by a special group of conservationists who’ve created a “living museum” on Nonsuch Island.

Measuring just 14 acres and found in the northeast corner of the Bermuda island chain, Nonsuch Island is the only place the world’s 3rd-rarest seabird, known locally as the cahow, comes to breed.

The fact that it is breeding at all is nearly a miracle, as the cahow was believed to be extinct for a period of 300 years that started in the early days of British colonial governance and extended all the way to the second-half of the 20th century.

The animal, also known as a Bermuda, or gadfly petrel, bears all the quirks of an animal doomed to follow the dodo into history. It takes 3-6 years for adults to return to Nonsuch Island to breed, and if they do, the female may produce one egg.

That one egg may hatch, although it might not; some 50% of the eggs don’t hatch. Adults abandon that single chick one-week before it fledges, when instinct drives it to seek food out at sea while still learning how to fly. Between 28 and 35% of fledglings don’t survive their first year.

Nesting on the ground, they’re extremely vulnerable to predation from invasive animals, and in 1960, British ornithologist and Bermuda’s first conservation officer, David Wingate, identified just 18 breeding pairs on Nonsuch Island.

Wingate would go on to pioneer the Cahow Recovery Program, which today is recognized as one of the most successful restoration projects anywhere in the world for a Critically-Endangered species.

By the time Wingate’s successor as chief of the program, Jeremy Madeiros, took over, their numbers had grown to 55. Today, there are 450 birds of all ages on the island, a remarkable turnaround.

Part of that turnaround was making sure these birds had good nesting habitat. Cahows nest in underground burrows or deep rock crevices; only nests deep enough to be completely dark are chosen.

Today, 85% of all cahows nest in artificial concrete nest burrows constructed for them as part of the Recovery Program.

The recovery program gestated a transformation of Nonsuch Island into a complete wildlife sanctuary, wooded, and with a small freshwater marsh where access to the public is strictly limited to prevent invasive species introduction. The restoration of the once barren island into a ‘Living Museum of pre-colonial Bermuda’ was Wingate’s life’s work.

65 years into this rewilding experiment, key endemics have repopulated the island, including the yellow-crowned night heron, West Indian top shell, land hermit crabs, and the beautiful Bermuda skink.Expeditions there are organized by the environment ministry for educational and research purposes, while several live camera feeds allow those interested to observe the cahow in its natural habitat. Endangered Cahow, One of the Rarest Seabirds in the World, Hatched on Nonsuch Island in Bermuda

Read More........→April 05, 2026

Australia has dedicated more than 20% of its land to conservation but not where it matters most

Kakadu National Park is a well-known example of protected land. Liana Joseph/Author provided, CC BY-ND 

James Watson, The University of Queensland; Carly Cook, Monash University; Michelle Ward, Griffith University, and Ruben Venegas Li, The University of Queensland

On paper, Australia is a conservation success story.

Over the past 15 years, we’ve dedicated vast areas of land to conservation. Our primary goal has been to protect our unique plants, animals, and ecosystems. As a result, Australia now has one of the largest protected area estates in the world, covering roughly 22% of the country.

That’s an impressive achievement, and a significant step towards our goal of protecting 30% of Australia’s land by 2030.

But there’s a problem. Our new analysis shows we’re not protecting the places that matter most for Australia’s diverse wildlife and environments.

So what are we actually conserving? And what should change?

More land but no more protection

Our recent analysis of Australia’s network of protected areas shows, between 2010 and 2022, we’ve nearly doubled the amount of land under protection. Protected land refers to areas which are specifically set aside to conserve nature. However, this expansion has done little to help our most at-risk animals, plants, and ecosystems.

Our national list of threatened species, which identifies the plants and animals most at risk of extinction, illustrates this. Since 2010, we’ve only slightly increased the amount of protected land that’s home to threatened species. Based on our data, in that time this figure rose by an average of just 3%.

Worse still, 160 species have virtually no protection. That’s roughly 10% of our endangered species list. Many others species only have a very small amount of their habitat inside the fences of protected areas.

One example is the Margaret River burrowing crayfish, a critically endangered crayfish from Western Australia. Currently none of its two remaining habitats are protected.

And the Grey Range thick-billed grasswren, a bird endemic to New South Wales, is now critically endangered because of habitat loss and agriculture. However none of its habitat, found just north of Broken Hill, is formally protected.

Tragically, these are not exceptional cases. And they are exactly the plants and animals that protected areas are designed to protect.

The same is true for Australia’s ecosystems, which are geographic areas where plants and animals interact with their natural environment. Nationally, we have nearly 100 ecological communities which are listed as threatened. But in the last decade, we’ve only improved protection for a handful of these.

And some still have no protection. The critically endangered weeping myall woodlands in the Hunter Valley, Sydney’s blue gum high forest and the iron-grass natural temperate grassland of South Australia are just three examples.

So what’s gone wrong?

For decades, we’ve tended to protect land that is more remote and less productive. Our findings suggest this pattern is continuing today.

However, many of Australia’s at-risk plants, animals, and ecosystems are found in heavily modified landscapes. These include areas which have been cleared for agriculture or are close to towns and cities. But under current conservation models, we’re much less likely to protect these kinds of land.

As a result, we are expanding protected areas but not necessarily where they matter most.

Protected areas, such as Kakadu National Park, help safeguard endangered species. Liana Joseph/Author provided, CC BY-ND

To be clear, protecting some of these landscapes is incredibly valuable. This is especially true given the current and future impacts of climate change. And in Australia, we’ve done well to protect nearly half of intact ecosystems by including them in nature reserves.

But protecting intact ecosystems is just one piece of the conservation puzzle.

Getting our priorities right

Australia has committed to protect 30% of our lands and waters by 2030. This is known as the “30 by 30” target. We are also a leader in the so-called high ambition coalition of 124 countries which have pledged to meet this same target.

But to protect our biodiversity we need to focus on which land is protected, not just how much. A hectare in the wrong place will have little effect, while a hectare in the right place can be the bridge between survival and extinction.

So as Australia moves towards the “30 by 30” target, the key challenge will be ensuring we protect land strategically, not opportunistically.

The good news is, we now have the tools to do so. Australia has some of the best biodiversity data in the world. This is because the Australian government has invested in ecologists from around the country, allowing them to closely study endangered species.

However, what we’re missing is a commitment to use this information. So far, we’ve largely measured progress using one blunt metric: total area protected. This metric is easy to communicate but is dangerously misleading. It tells us very little about whether protected areas are in the right location or are being managed well.

If we’re serious about halting species extinctions within the next five years, we need to change course now. Here are three ways to do that.

• urgently protect areas of highest biodiversity value, especially the habitats of species on the brink of extinction
• prioritise under-protected ecosystems instead of those which are easiest to conserve
• start measuring success in terms of outcomes, not just area.

Without this shift, we risk meeting our “30 by 30” target while failing to save our most threatened species and ecosystems. That would be a hollow victory.

James Watson, Professor in Conservation Science, School of the Environment, The University of Queensland; Carly Cook, Lecturer Head, Cook Research Group; School of Biological Sciences, Monash University; Michelle Ward, Lecturer, School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, and Ruben Venegas Li, Research fellow, School of Environment, University of Queensland, The University of Queensland

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Read More........→March 25, 2026

Elusive Nightjar Populations Doubled in 5 Years, a ‘Remarkable Comeback’ Conservationists Say

A Lesser Nighthawk in Costa Rica – credit, Jerry Oldenettel – originally posted to Flickr, via CC 2.0.

The population of one of England’s most-elusive birds is flourishing again thanks to conservation efforts in the south of the country.

The nightjar, sometimes called the nighthawk, becomes active at twilight, and they’re famous for their chortling calls and fantastic camouflage.

Their numbers declined some 51% between the 1970s and 2000s after substantial forest loss.

The UK’s South Downs National Park stretches across the areas of Hampshire, West Sussex, and East Sussex, and it’s among the lowland heath and forests that nightjars have staged a remarkable population recovery.

A nightjar survey in the park last year counted more than 70 birds, which is believed to mark a doubling over the last 5 years. The animals migrate 4,000 miles north from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to reside in the UK between April and August. Meanwhile, forest and heathland restoration efforts have raised the number of good nesting habitats to 109 across Britain.

The birds nest on the ground, so conservation work has specifically focused on communication with visitors to places like South Downs. They’re encouraged to keep their dogs on leashes, stay on marked trails, and avoid bushwhacking so as not to disturb or destroy the sensitive nesting areas.

“It’s wonderful to hear the nightjars churring away as dusk falls and we’re looking forward to continuing this incredibly positive conservation work alongside local communities and our partners,” South Downs ranger Kirsty Murray told the BBC.

Murray called good nightjar habitat “as rare as rainforest” in Britain, and thought it was the best thing in the world that the animal was repopulating the park.The nightjar is an extremely versatile and successful species. They inhabit all continents but Antarctica, and can live at virtually any elevation within reason. They steer clear of extremely arid regions, and can migrate long or short distances. Elusive Nightjar Populations Doubled in 5 Years, a ‘Remarkable Comeback’ Conservationists Say:

Read More........→March 21, 2026

Great Lakes Otters Are a Conservation Success Story with Populations Flourishing in US and Ontario

A river otter the moment it was released into the Rio Grande – Credit J.N. Stuart, CC 2.0.

In 1986, Ohio’s Department of Natural Resources began reintroducing North American river otters to the rivers, creeks, and shorelines of the Great Lakes ecosystem.

40 years later, these adorable apex predators have recolonized much of their former aquatic acreage in Ohio, New York, Michigan, and Ontario, fastening the food chain at the top while ecosystem restoration programs have anchored it at the bottom.

The Great Lakes region holds one-fifth of the world’s fresh water. It’s a massive ecosystem that supports tens of millions of people, tens of billions in industry, and thousands of animal and plant species.

Unfortunately for the otter, an apex predator needs a vast and intact ecosystem to thrive, and as industrialization ate away at its prey species and den habitat, hunters reduced their numbers in pursuit of their pelts.

In 1980, an examination conducted on US river otter populations determined they were locally extinct in 11 states, and lost significant population in 9 other states.

It’s a story all-too-familiar the world over, but one that seems now to have had a happy ending.

After the Ohio DNR began releasing river otters from southern states like Arkansas and Louisiana, New York state began a mirrored effort of relocating otters from the Adirondacks, the Hudson Valley, and Catskills to the tributaries of the Great Lakes in the western part of the state.

“All of these efforts were bolstered by the 1972 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, a landmark US–Canada treaty that pushed both countries toward reducing toxic discharges and restoring damaged habitats,” writes Timothy Mihocik at Rewilding Magazine.

Gradual waterfront revitalization and de-industrialization has allowed the otter to go beyond mere sheltered streams in protected areas back into the heart of the Great Lakes ecosystem, a return that also heralds cleaner, uncontaminated water, richer fish stocks, and more biodiverse riverbeds.

GNN has reported over the years that the character of several Midwest rivers, once so polluted they’d catch fire, has now changed. In Toronto, Ohio, and Chicago, rivers are now swimmable and fishable again, and otters stand hugely to benefit from that.Still, North American river otters have remained rare or absent in the southwestern United States. Water quality and development inhibit recovery of populations in some areas, but here too, otters are returning, with the New Mexican population tripling in the last few years. Great Lakes Otters Are a Conservation Success Story with Populations Flourishing in US and Ontario

Read More........→March 21, 2026

Tiny ‘Pouch-Cam’ Provides Rare Glimpse of Endangered Tree Kangaroo Developing Inside its Mother

Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo joey – SWNS / Chester Zoo

Amazing “pouch cam” images provide a rare glimpse into the hidden world of an endangered baby kangaroo after he was born the size of a jellybean at a UK zoo.

Experts say the special arrival marks a major conservation milestone for one of the world’s most threatened marsupials—the endangered Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo.

Keepers at the Chester Zoo monitored the pouch-cam between October and December watching the joey’s development inside the kangaroo’s pouch, allowing them to identify it as a healthy male.

The joey arrived to its parents Kitawa and Kayjo, thanks to an international conservation breeding program aimed at ensuring the future survival of the species.

The zoo says the pouch footage (which may be too graphic for some) and the team’s findings are expected to provide valuable insight for similar initiatives worldwide.

“When people think of kangaroos, they rarely imagine small, fluffy animals living high in the treetops,” said Matthew Lloyd, the tree kangaroo expert at the zoo.

“With so little known about tree kangaroos, Kitawa’s joey is a particularly special arrival, and represents a major step forward in understanding and protecting this remarkable species.”

Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo with baby joey – SWNS / Chester Zoo

“Being able to carefully track this joey’s development inside the pouch using tiny cameras wasn’t possible only a few years ago, and it’s already helped us learn more crucial information about the early stages of life inside the pouch—knowledge that can now support, and hopefully speed up, our conservation breeding efforts globally.”

Baby Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo via pouch cam – SWNS / Chester Zoo

The zoo further captured the first few months of the joey, which now weighs 4 pounds (1.85kg), using tiny endoscopic cameras, offering a rare and fascinating insight into the species.

It’s just the second time experts have bred the species at the Chester Zoo, with only two zoos in the UK currently caring for the rare animals.

Scientists helped pinpoint the best time for the two kangaroos to be paired by using hormone monitoring, carried out in the zoo’s on-site science laboratory,

the only facility of its kind at a zoo in Europe.

“Every birth like this is incredibly important,” said David White, team manager at Chester Zoo. “It’s been a real team effort. Everything we’ve learned so far will help conservationists around the world.”

What Makes Tree Kangaroos Special

Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo (Dendrolagus goodfellowi) is native to the forests of Papua New Guinea, an island nation north of Australia

Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo – SWNS / Chester Zoo

Unlike many other kangaroo species, they are mostly solitary animals, spending much of their time resting or sleeping in trees for up to 16 hours a day—but they often sleep head-down, a position that helps rain run off their fur.

Their joeys weigh just 2–3 grams at birth (about the size of a jellybean). The

newborns make a remarkable climb from the mother’s belly into the pouch shortly after birth—and remain there, suckling and developing, for around seven months before venturing out.

Forest loss and degradation caused by human activity, and a slow reproduction rate, makes populations particularly vulnerable to decline.

Only around 20-25 zoos are caring for or breeding Goodfellow’s tree kangaroos worldwide, usually a single pair, to maintain genetic diversity in a global effort to help the adorable species endure.“We don’t have a name for the little one just yet, but our choice will be influenced by communities in Papua New Guinea who live alongside tree kangaroos and are now part of efforts to protect their forest homes.” Tiny ‘Pouch-Cam’ Provides Rare Glimpse of Endangered Tree Kangaroo Developing Inside its Mother (LOOK)

Read More........→January 27, 2026

3 Rescued Lions Welcomed to Sanctuary After Traveling By Air, Sea, and American Highways From Honduras

Cyrus the lion in preparation for transport – credit, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge

For the first time in Honduras’ history, eight large felines were relocated from the country to accredited wildlife sanctuaries in the United States.

As part of this historic operation, 5 tigers were transferred to Carolina Tiger Rescue, while 3 lions were entrusted to an Arkansas wildlife refuge, where they will begin the next chapter of their lives in permanent sanctuary.

Spanning multiple countries and modes of transport, the trio of lions were carried by ship, then by air, and finally across American highways, all under careful oversight and in full compliance with international and US regulations.

They had for years been cared for by a well-trained team at Little French Key Island in the Honduran Caribbean, and arrived at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Sanctuary (TCWS) on January 15th.

The lions, named Cyrus, Zephora, and Juancito, were transitioned into spacious, species-appropriate habitats designed specifically to meet their physical, behavioral, and psychological needs. These custom environments reflect TCWR’s long-standing commitment to providing rescued big cats with dignity, expert care, and lifelong protection, a spokesman for the refuge said.

“This mission represents everything sanctuary work stands for: international cooperation, compassion, and a future where rescued animals are given the lives they deserve,” said Scott Smith, TCWR vice-president who participated in the rescue. “After an unbelievable journey, these lions are finally home.”

This historic rescue was made possible through the leadership and long-term commitment of Leo Lahijani of Little French Key Resort, whose dedication to securing a better future for the animals in his care has been instrumental in moving the initiative forward.

“This rescue has been years in the making, driven by a deep responsibility to secure the best possible future for these animals,” said Mr. Lahijani.

“From the beginning, our focus was on improving outcomes and finding partners with the experience and integrity to provide lifelong care. Working alongside Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge and Carolina Tiger Rescue made it possible to move forward with confidence, knowing the lions and tigers would be placed in sanctuaries where their well-being, dignity, and long-term care come first.”

The relocation was carried out in collaboration with Honduran environmental authorities and international partners, including the Honduran Institute of Forest Conservation (ICF), CITES, veterinary professionals, and logistics teams who ensured the animals’ safety every step of the way.

Environmental officials in Honduras have described the operation as a national milestone, setting a precedent for responsible wildlife management and reinforcing the country’s commitment to conservation and the fight against illegal wildlife trade.For Cyrus, Zephora, and Juancito, the result is simple and profound: safety, space, and a lifetime of care. 3 Rescued Lions Welcomed to Sanctuary After Traveling By Air, Sea, and American Highways From Honduras

Read More........→January 25, 2026

Nearly 3x More Encounters With Endangered Sumatran Tigers in Camera Trap Photos Than in Past Years

A resident female Sumatran tiger grooming one of her two large male cubs in October 2023 – credit, Figel et al., 2025, BKSDA-Aceh, DLHK.

Tigers don’t roam across Asia as they used to, but on one island in Indonesia a population of Critically Endangered Sumatran tigers may have found a habitat that supplies them with enough space, intact forests, and prey to thrive and raise their young.

To examine tiger population densities, researchers working alongside local rangers installed infrared cameras in forests outside the national park system. Their work, in collaboration with the government of Aceh province, resulted in almost three times more images being taken and individual tigers being identified than during previous surveys.

Dedicated protection efforts are the main reason for tigers’ persistence in this ecosystem, which highlights the necessity of such measures, the team said, even though the survey was conducted in provincial forests that reserve less support and smaller budgets than national parks.

Today, tigers occupy just 5 to 10% of their historical habitats. But on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, an important population of critically endangered Sumatran tigers may persevere,

Using infrared cameras, researchers working on the island, have set out to estimate sex-specific population densities and tigers’ movements during three surveys, the results of which were published in a new Frontiers in Conservation Science study.

“We documented a robust tiger population, apparently among the healthiest on the island,” said Dr. Joe Figel, a conservation biologist, who works with Indonesian wildlife and forestry agencies. “For those on the ground, the onus now falls on us to double down and adequately protect them.”

In many ways, the Leuser ecosystem is ideal habitat for Sumatran tigers. Three times the size of Yellowstone National Park, it is the largest contiguous tiger habitat remaining in Sumatra. It’s made up of lowland, hill, and montane forests, of which 44% are classified as intact forest landscape. “It’s also more thoroughly patrolled by rangers than nearly any other place on the island,” Figel said.

Working with local collaborators from communities at the edges of the study area, the team put up cameras in the northern stretches of Leuser, located in Aceh province, and kept them there for three monitoring periods: 34 cameras were installed during March to May 2023, 59 cameras between June and December 2023, and 74 cameras between May and November of 2024.

During the monitoring periods, the team captured a total of 282 sufficiently clear images of Sumatran tigers to allow for the identification of individuals. Analyzing stripe patterns, the team identified 27 individuals from camera-trap images, including 14 females, 12 males, and one tiger of unknown sex.

– credit Figel et al. 2025, BKSDA-Aceh, DLHK.

The relatively high number of tigers suggests there is adequate prey in the area to support tiger presence. Over the study period, female and male individuals were photographed an average of 14 and 16 times, respectively. High densities of female tigers indicate a healthy tiger social system and high-quality habitats, where they can raise about three litters of cubs over a decade.

During the six-month session in 2023, three different sets of cubs were documented. Two tiger brothers photographed together as cubs were later spotted individually as adults.

Inside the Leuser ecosystem lies Gunung Leuser Nation Park, however, the present study was conducted in forests provincially protected by the Aceh government. In Indonesia, provincially protected forests receive far fewer resources than national parks, which are supported and managed by the central government.

The camera traps placed by Figel and colleagues snapped nearly three times as many tiger images as during previous 90-day surveys at other sites in Sumatra, and the team was able to identify many more individuals than reported in earlier studies. Only three previous surveys – all carried out in protected national parks – documented more than 10 tigers in a single survey. Higher tiger density estimates than reported in the present study were only documented in an intensive protection zone in southern Sumatra.

The current study also provides valuable insights for future monitoring of tigers, the team said. The data on tiger movement collected here could, for example, inform survey protocols and optimal camera spacing.

The high numbers of tiger sightings reported here highlights a success story that is due to a multitude of factors, said the team. “The persistence of these habitats and prey populations are the main reasons for our findings.”

“Thanks to the work, activities, and support of government agencies, local Acehnese and Gayo communities, donors, and other researchers, Leuser has maintained important patches of lowland and hill forests where, in Sumatra, tiger prey densities reach their highest levels,” concluded Figel.*This story originally appeared in Frontiers and was reprinted. Nearly 3x More Encounters With Endangered Sumatran Tigers in Camera Trap Photos Than in Past Years

Read More........→December 30, 2025

Birth of UK's Only Bonobo Baby Gives Fresh Hope for World's Most Endangered Ape

credit – Adam Kay, Twycross Zoo / SWNS

Conservationists and zookeepers are celebrating our closest living relative giving birth to a healthy baby.

Heart-tugging photos show the bonobo mother Yuli cradling her tiny newborn after it was born at Twycross Zoo in Leicestershire last Thursday.

Experts have hailed the birth as a ‘globally significant’ moment which could help save one of the world’s rarest apes and humanity’s cousin.

Twycross Zoo is the only UK zoo to care for the species, and says the new arrival has the distinguished status as the only baby bonobo in the whole country.

The infant’s mother Yuli arrived at Twycross Zoo from Vallée Des Singes in France as part of the European-led conservation program in 2023.

“Bonobos are human’s closest living relatives, yet they remain one of the most endangered and least understood apes on Earth,” said Dr. Rebecca Biddle, chief conservation officer at Twycross Zoo. “Every birth is a true milestone and a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when zoos work together.

“As the only UK zoo caring for bonobos, here at Twycross Zoo, we are immensely proud and feel a great responsibility to play our part in protecting this incredible species,” she added.

credit – Adam Kay, Twycross Zoo / SWNS

Bonobos, which are listed as “Endangered” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, are indeed as Biddle says—Homo sapiens’ closest living relatives, sharing more than 98% of our DNA.

In the wild, their population is said to be decreasing due to many human-caused threats such as poaching and deforestation.

Found only in the wilds of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the bonobo is a highly unique ape due to their matriarchal society. Typically, primate troops are led by a dominant male, but bonobos are one of few primate species, and the only great ape, to live in female-led societies.

The conservation program looks after 10% of all the bonobos in Europe, and is a key part of a collaborative effort between EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria) member zoos.At the moment, neither mother nor newborn will be visible to the public as they enjoy a critical period of bonding and nurturing. Birth of UK's Only Bonobo Baby Gives Fresh Hope for World's Most Endangered Ape

Read More........→November 02, 2025

Rarest Monkeys Now Number Close to 2,000 Thanks to One Man's Jane Goodall-like Passion

A golden snub-nosed monkey in Tanjiahe National Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province – credit, David Blank CC BY-NC-SA 3.0.

From the BBC comes the story of an intrepid and dedicated scientist who has spent decades working in China’s mountain forests in an effort to protect and understand one of the nation’s most amazing animals.

The golden sub-nosed monkey is revered alongside the giant panda as “national treasures” of Chinese wildlife, yet this couldn’t protect them from logging and hunting that followed in the wake of Mao’s Cultural Revolution.

Members of this sub-species located in the UNESCO-listed Shennongjia mountains of Hubei Province, were the subject of intense study by Professor Yang Jingyuan, a research ecologist who arrived in these mountains in 1991.

For Yang, the golden sub-nosed monkey was Jane Goodall’s chimpanzees. By the time Yang arrived in Shennongjia, the population had collapsed to just 500 or so individuals across 6 family groups. Years of illegal logging as a form of subsistence living had reduced forest coverage in the mountains to 63%.

But before Yang could protect the animals, he had to first learn to understand them. With his research colleagues, he began striking out into the newly-created Shennongjia Forest Reserve to study these incredible animals.

The monkeys were at first so wary of humans that Yang and his team had to stay half a mile away to be able just to observe the monkeys in their habitat. Eventually though, with repeated encounters, half a mile became and quarter mile, and a quarter mile became 200 yards, 100 yards, 20 yards—until Yang and whoever he brought with him were accepted by the troupes.

The BBC’s China Correspondent, Stephen McDonell, experienced this treatment as baby monkeys and curious juveniles climbed all over him on a visit to special, 100 square kilometer monkey zones hat are off-limits to the hundreds of thousands of visitors who come to enjoy a mountain ecosystem that is without exaggeration unique in the world.

“Even after logging was banned there were still people illegally felling timber. If they didn’t cut down trees, how would they have money?” Professor Yang, director of the Shennongjia National Park Scientific Research Institute, told McDonell.

Golden snub-nosed monkeys in Tanjiahe National Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province – credit, David Blank CC BY-NC-SA 3.0.

Shennongjia virgin forest – credit, Evilbish CC BY-SA 3.0

“There were also people secretly hunting here to survive. It was only after a long period of building awareness that the consciousness of local farmers changed.”

In the 1990s, with a shifting focus from forestry to forest conservation, local residents eking out this subsistence living were offered government money to relocate so that the forests could regrow. Many accepted the offer, and now benefit from the tourism boom the mountains are experiencing.

There is no place on Earth that has greater biodiversity of deciduous woody plants than Shennongjia, and a dizzying 3,400 higher-order plant species, and over 600 invertebrates have been recorded there. The golden snub-nosed monkey is very much a fuzzy golden cherry on top of a biodiverse cake ten layers-high.

“I’m very optimistic,” said Prof Yang. “Their home is now very well protected. They have food and drink, no worries about life’s necessities and, most of all, their numbers are growing.”

Golden snub-nosed monkeys captured via camera trap – credit, eMammal CC 2.0. via Flickr

Indeed, an archived report from Xinhua claimed that those 500 remnant individuals became 1,200 by 2013. This represents major progress since females give birth to only one baby at a time.

At the time McDonell visited, their numbers had jumped again to 1,600, and forest cover along the hills and valleys had increased to around 96% of the reserve’s total area.

Professor Yang can live freely among them like some character of fable. He speaks to them in their calls, having learned the meanings of each vocalization during his many years of observing them.

Like Goodall, his research has yielded incredible insights into their lives. For example, each monkey has an egg timer-like understanding of its lifespan, and when it’s time to pass away, they silently leave their families behind and visit special, secluded areas to die alone in the forest.

According to Yang, there hasn’t been a single successful attempt to find these sites, either by researchers or rangers.Yang’s institute estimates that the monkeys will come to number 2,000 individuals in Shennongjia sometime over the next 10 years, a testament to the magnificent outcomes conservation can provide, providing there’s someone in the right place at the right time to make the effort to make a difference. Rarest Monkeys Now Number Close to 2,000 Thanks to One Man's Jane Goodall-like Passion

Read More........→October 07, 2025

Six Baby Cheetahs Born in the Richmond Zoo's Prolific Breeding Program – 167 Cats Since 2013 (WATCH)

Six cheetah cubs with their mother –Courtesy of Metro Richmond Zoo

At a zoo in Richmond, a raucous litter of cheetah cubs is delighting onlookers having spent the summer months growing in secret.

One of the largest litters born at the zoo, the three-month-old cubs are hitting milestones and progressing well towards adolescence.

Named after African capitals, such as Lusaka, Kampala, and Cairo, the cubs were born in April but were kept hidden away to develop in peace through their most sensitive period with mother Zuri.

Sprinting, jumping on each other, and investigating every object in their enclosure, they seem well on their way to becoming the world’s fastest land animal.

“Some are shy; one is bold and brave — that’s Lusaka,” said Kristina Coonley, a lead zookeeper at the Metro Richmond Zoo, Virginia. “[Cairo] is always the last one out and the last one to come in.”

Though just the 99th most populated city in America, the Richmond Zoo nevertheless boasts one of the country’s most prolific and successful cheetah breeding program for purposes of conservation. Zuri’s litter of 6 takes the total number of captive-born cubs in the program’s history to 167 since 2013.

Coonley told the Washington Post that the Cheetah Conservation Center looks carefully and genetics and disposition when deciding which of their cats are suitable for breeding. Zuri is 5 years old, and has already mothered one litter. Her partner was Ramses, a 13-year-old sire of 25 other cubs.

Though losing out on conservation column inches to the likes of the lion and tiger, cheetah are considered Vulnerable by the IUCN. With around 6,500 individuals across the whole of Africa, a relic populations in Iran, and a diminishing introduced population in India, they are the most at-risk of the African big cats because of their need for space befitting the world’s greatest sprinters.It’s no bad thing then that the Metro Richmond Zoo has seen even bigger litters than these 6, with a resident female last year bringing 9 little mohawked babies into the world. Six Baby Cheetahs Born in the Richmond Zoo's Prolific Breeding Program – 167 Cats Since 2013 (WATCH)

Read More........→October 01, 2025

Researchers Test Use of Nuclear Technology to Curb Rhino Poaching in South Africa

In South Africa, biologists and scientists have developed a novel way of disincentivizing poaching that will allow rhinos to keep hold of their horns.

Previously it was widespread practice to capture and de-horn rhinos to disincentivize poachers from killing them, but the lack of a horn deeply interfered with the animals’ social structures.

Instead, rhinos at a nursery in the northern province of Limpopo have had radioactive isotopes embedded into their horns. The idea is that the radiation given off by these isotopes will mark out anyone at any border crossing as having handled a rhino horn.

It’s a superior form of tracking because even if the tracker is removed the radiation remains on the horn, as well as anything that touches it.

Nuclear researchers at the University of the Witwatersrand’s Radiation and Health Physics Unit in South Africa injected 20 live rhinos with these isotopes.

“We are doing this because it makes it significantly easier to intercept these horns as they are being trafficked over international borders because there is a global network of radiation monitors that have been designed to prevent nuclear terrorism,” Professor James Larkin who heads the project told Africa News. “And we’re piggybacking on the back of that.”

Larkin adds that innovation in poaching prevention is urgently needed, as all existing methods have limitations, and South Africa still loses tens of rhinos every year.

MORE ANTI-POACHING SCHEMES: Rather Than Taking Jobs in Tech, 2 Young Software Engineers Use Talents to Crush Poaching in India

Professor Nithaya Chetty, dean of the science faculty at Witwatersrand, said the dosage of the radioactivity is very low and its potential negative impact on the animal was tested extensively.While poaching elephants for their ivory yields a unique material for sculpture and craft, rhino horn is trafficked to criminal groups in Asia who sell it for the incorrect belief that it contains therapeutic properties. Researchers Test Use of Nuclear Technology to Curb Rhino Poaching in South Africa

Read More........→September 24, 2025

Local Communities Protecting Millions of Acres of Orangutan Habitat Beyond Nat. Park Boundaries

Orangutans by Getty Images for Unsplash+

On the island of Borneo, forest-dwelling communities have become key to ensuring that orangutans have enough intact forest to survive and thrive down the centuries.

Documented by the Nature Conservancy, which is assisting in establishing and equipping these forest communities for conservation, these communities maintain millions of acres of forests for sustainable economic use and conservation.

This includes logging, but research has shown that when legitimate, transparent logging operations cease, their former land concessions become akin to a no man’s land, and are taken over by illegal logging circuits, poaching, and agriculture.

Instead, by logging small numbers of mature trees one small area at a time over a 30-year time horizon, the forest doesn’t shrink, and the communities can use profits from the hardwoods to sustain their families, and ensure that areas of intact forest remain poacher free.

Areas like the vast Kutai National Park suffer from similar problems as the logging concessions, the Nature Conservancy writes. Their remoteness acts as a curtain to hide illegal activities.

But 80% of orangutans live beyond the borders of protected areas, often very near forest villages. Because of this, an estimated 1.3 million acres of forest habitat is now protected by local forest guardians for the benefit of ecotourism, honey production, scientific research and of course, conservation.

Support from the Indonesian government, which controls the majority of Borneo, the world’s third-largest island, helps the guardians manage their land concessions, while interest from the international community has also led to large-scale donations from companies like Arhaus, a furniture maker.

Matt Miller, the Nature Conservancy’s director of science communications, visited these community concessions, and saw first hand how they view their future as guardians of the forests.“The communities are the leaders here. They are the key to the conservation of Borneo’s forests and biodiversity,” a local program director told Miller. “We are here to support them. We can provide science and help them shape what they want their future to be. But this is the reflection of their dream.” Local Communities Protecting Millions of Acres of Orangutan Habitat Beyond Nat. Park Boundaries

Read More........→September 08, 2025

Conservationist Hail Recovery of 150 Struggling Species Thanks to Projects by Natural England

A pearl-bordered fritillary – credit, Devon Wildlife Trust

Two years ago, the UK government gave roughly $15 million to its own conservation organ called Natural England for the purpose of preventing species decline.

Now, its report card has arrived, and its A+ work has seen the recovery of 150 struggling or declining species.

Natural England used the money to fund 63 projects involving 78 different partners across the country.

For the nature lover, the list of wild beneficiaries of the work will gladden the heart. Standout achievements include a breakthrough for the iconic lady’s slipper orchid, with the first known case of natural propagation in the wild after over 30 years of dedicated work to collect seeds.

686 acres of vital nesting islands were created or enhanced for seabirds such as common tern, little tern and Sandwich tern. 56,000 plugs of food plants were laid for butterflies, such as marsh violet for the small pearl-bordered fritillary, and devil’s bit scabious for marsh fritillary, at the new sites.

A grant-funded breeding and supervised release program saw the first wild hatching of a red-billed chough in Kent for the first time in over 200 years. 633 new breeding areas (nest boxes and similar structures) were created through the program for otter, dormouse, bats, willow tits, and other birds.

Wetland habitat creation to benefit water vole – credit, Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust

A huge focus as well fell on habitat creation or restoration, including over 642 acres of flower-rich grassland meadows, 1,000 acres of floodplain grasslands, 874 acres of broadleaf woodland, and 240 acres of marsh.

215 ponds and streams were dug or restored which became the new haunts of water voles and the rare Eurasian bittern.

Volunteers were a huge part of these various grant-funded projects. 100,000 hours of volunteer work were donated by members of the public during the 2 years of operations, a component which Natural England said would form a vital backbone if these achievements are to be sustained and built upon.

Volunteers planting marsh violet – credit, Neil Harris, National Trust images

“This and a feeling of real engagement with an amazing natural environment has been a huge psychological boost for me,” said Steve, a volunteer with the ‘White Cliffs and White Chalk’ National Trust project.

“This has been, and continues to be, a great way to gain a better understanding of local ecology and to improve my understanding of the protected areas and species at risk.”Natural England will shortly be making an announcement about future plans. Conservationist Hail Recovery of 150 Struggling Species Thanks to Projects by Natural England

Read More........→September 02, 2025

Bugun Liocichla: A Jewel of the Eastern Himalayas

Vidyasagar Jagtap

In the dense, verdant forests of Arunachal Pradesh, India, a chance encounter sparked a conservation movement that would resonate far beyond its origins. Ramana Athreya, an astrophysicist with a passion for birdwatching, was traversing a narrow jungle trail near the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary when a flash of vibrant color caught his eye. “I was simply passing through when, out of nowhere, a flash of brilliant color stole my attention,” he later recalled. There, gliding gracefully through the foliage, was a bird unlike any he had ever seen—its olive-grey plumage complemented by a striking black cap and vivid patches of yellow, red, and white on its wings. Before Athreya could fully absorb the sight, the bird vanished into the dense canopy, leaving him with a sense of wonder and an unquenchable curiosity to learn more.

An Unexpected Discovery

That fleeting moment set Athreya on a path of discovery. Over a decade later, in 2006, he returned to the area with renewed determination and was able to document the bird meticulously. Given the species' apparent rarity, Athreya and his team employed non-invasive methods, collecting feathers, photographs, and audio recordings of its soft, flute-like calls. This careful approach ensured the bird's safety while allowing for its formal identification as a new species—the Bugun Liocichla.(Liocichlabugunorum)

A Marvel in Miniature

Measuring approximately 20 to 22 centimeters, the Bugun Liocichla is a small yet captivating bird. Its olive-grey body is accentuated by a jet-black cap and radiant orange-yellow markings around the eyes, with wings adorned in a medley of bright colours. Beyond its visual appeal, the bird's melodious and flute-like song adds to its allure, making it a true gem of the Himalayan forests.

Impact on the Bugun Tribe and the Region

The discovery of the Bugun Liocichla holds significant historical importance, being the first bird species described from India in decades. More profoundly, it galvanized the local Bugun tribe to take proactive steps in conserving their natural heritage. Recognizing the bird as a symbol of their rich biodiversity, the Bugun community established community-managed reserves and initiated sustainable ecotourism projects. These efforts not only protected the bird's habitat but also provided economic benefits to the community, exemplifying a harmonious balance between conservation and livelihood. As a major step towards conservation, the Arunachal Pradesh government finally notified Braiduah Community Reserve under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The reserve is situated adjacent to the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary.

Parallels in Conservation Efforts

Athreya's dedication mirrors the passion of other notable conservationists. Sálim Ali, often hailed as the “Birdman of India,” conducted extensive bird surveys across the country and authored “The Book of Indian Birds,” a seminal work that has inspired generations of ornithologists. Similarly, Asad R. Rahmani's memoir, “Living with Birds,” narrates his lifelong commitment to studying and protecting India's avian species, reflecting the broader narrative of India's conservation movement. Internationally, Mya-Rose Craig's “Birdgirl” chronicles her global birdwatching adventures and environmental activism, emphasizing the universal appeal and urgency of bird conservation. These works collectively underscore the profound impact individuals can have on bird conservation, echoing the transformative journey sparked by Athreya's chance encounter with the Bugun Liocichla.

A Legacy of Hope and a Call to Action

Currently listed as Critically Endangered, with an estimated population of only 14 to 20 individuals, the Bugun Liocichla's survival hangs in the balance. Its precarious status underscores the urgent need for continued conservation efforts. Yet, its story serves as a beacon of hope, illustrating how serendipitous discoveries can lead to meaningful change. As Athreya aptly noted, “Sometimes, all it takes is a single moment in the wild to show us the beauty we must fight to protect.”

The story of this remarkable bird is a call to action for everyone: cherish the wonders of nature, work together with communities, and ensure that such treasures endure for generations to come.

References:

Discovery and Conservation of the Bugun Liocichla:

1. • Ramana Athreya - Sanctuary Nature Foundation: Details Athreya's discovery of the BugunLiocichla and subsequent conservation efforts.
2. • From a new bird to a new community reserve: India's tribe sets example - Mongabay: Discusses the Bugun tribe's establishment of community reserves following the bird's discovery.
3. • https://www.iiserpune.ac.in/news/post/postage-stamp-released-of-bugun-liocichla-the-bird-will-now-go-places/3
4. • https://www.deccanherald.com/india/arunachal-pradesh/arunachal-tribe-donates-land-for-critically-endangered-songbird-bugun-liocichla-2940635

Notable Works in Bird Conservation:

• • The Book of Indian Birds by Sálim Ali: A seminal guide illustrating and describing over 500 Indian bird species.
• • Living With Birds by Asad R. Rahmani: A memoir detailing Rahmani's dedication to studying and protecting India's avian species.
• • Birdgirl by Mya-Rose Craig: Chronicles Craig's global birdwatching experiences and environmental activism.

These sources offer comprehensive information on the topics discussed in the article.Vidyasagar Jagtap is a BSc Zoology graduate from Fergusson College, Pune, with a deep interest in life sciences and nature. Bugun Liocichla: A Jewel of the Eastern Himalayas | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

Read More........→August 08, 2025

Armenia joins International Big Cat Alliance

Armenia has joined the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) aiming to protect and restore populations of the world’s major big cat species.

Deputy Minister of Environment Aram Meimaryan on Monday signed the Framework Agreement of the IBCA in a ceremony attended by Indian Ambassador to Armenia Nilakshi Saha Sinha, who emphasized growing environmental cooperation between the two countries.

The move highlights Armenia’s commitment to biodiversity, including efforts to preserve the endangered Persian leopard, of which fewer than 10 remain in the country.The agreement also fosters international cooperation on environmental policy, funding and technology. Source: Article

Read More........→July 11, 2025

UK Zoo Helps Hatch Three of World's Rarest Birds–Blue-Eyed Doves–with Only 11 Left in Wild

Columbina cyanopis, or the blue-eyed dove, in the Rolinha do Planalto Natural Reserve – credit, Hector Bottai CC BY-SA 4.0.

A UK zoo is celebrating after helping to hatch three of the world’s rarest birds in what could be a breakthrough moment in saving the critically-endangered species from extinction.

The trio of blue-eyed ground dove chicks were successfully hand-reared in Brazil, boosting the survival odds of one of the most endangered birds on the planet, only 11 of which are thought to remain in the wild.

An international team, including British experts from the Chester Zoo, managed to rear the birds in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, the only place they are found.

The team, also featuring Brazilian and American conservationists, say their arrival could provide a vital lifeline for the ultra-rare species by boosting their insurance population.

The blue-eyed ground dove was a species shrouded in mystery, with no confirmed records for more than 70 years, until its rediscovery in 2015.

“It’s a real privilege for Chester Zoo to be involved in the work to help conserve the blue-eyed ground dove,” said Andrew Owen, Chester Zoo’s head of birds.

“This unique species is on the brink of extinction and without the dedication and passion of all the conservationists involved, including Chester Zoo’s bird staff, this bird may be lost forever.”

“This year saw the successful hand-rearing of three blue-eyed ground doves – building on the successes of 2023 and 2024 and doubling the conservation-breeding insurance population.”

The effort to build on those successes started earlier this year, when a team of Brazilian and international bird conservationists were tasked with selecting and incubating a small number of wild-laid eggs. The resulting hatchlings would help to create an insurance population in human care.

Andrew traveled to Brazil to provide technical support while Victoria Kaldis, lead keeper for birds at Chester Zoo, also flew over to assist with the hand-rearing of the chicks. The effort was led by Minas Gerais’ Parque das Aves and SAVE Brasil, with additional support coming from the Toledo and Bronx zoos in the United States.

“Seeing these chicks is exciting. Each hatching represents a real chance to reverse the fate of this species,” said Paloma Bosso, technical director of Parque das Aves. “It is a joy and also a great responsibility.”

“With the arrival of these three new individuals, Parque das Aves is now home to six blue-eyed ground doves. All are being carefully monitored and are part of a coordinated reproductive management plan.”

The blue-eyed ground dove is Critically-Endangered according to the the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List.

It once had a wide distribution in the Cerrado biome (the Brazilian savanna), but due to habitat loss driven by farming and timber plantations, it has radically declined.

Currently, the only known population is found in Botumirim in the state of Minas Gerais and a 2025 census confirmed the species remains exceedingly rare.“The blue-eyed ground dove depends on the efforts of many people and institutions, so that its song can be heard in the Cerrado for many years to come,” said Ben Phalan, head of conservation at Parque das Aves. UK Zoo Helps Hatch Three of World's Rarest Birds–Blue-Eyed Doves–with Only 11 Left in Wild

Read More........→June 27, 2025

Dehorning rhinos tips the balance against poaching – new study

Timothy Kuiper, Nelson Mandela University

Black and white rhino populations in the Greater Kruger (Kruger National Park and surrounding reserves) in South Africa have plummeted from over 10,000 rhinos in 2010 to around 2,600 in 2023. Hundreds of rhinos are killed each year by poachers for their horns. These are sold on the illegal global market.

Nature reserve managers, rangers, international funders, and local non-profit organisations have invested millions of dollars in anti-poaching interventions. These include tracking dogs to track poachers, artificial intelligence-enabled detection cameras, helicopters to monitor reserves and, more recently, dehorning (removing rhinos’ horns reduces the incentive for poachers).

To see if these were working, the Greater Kruger Environmental Protection Foundation set up a research project involving several reserve managers, rangers, and scientists from the University of Cape Town, Nelson Mandela University, University of Stellenbosch, and the University of Oxford.

The South African National Parks, World Wildlife Fund South Africa, and the Rhino Recovery Fund were also involved.

Together, managers and scientists gathered seven years of rhino poaching data across 2.4 million hectares in the north-eastern region of South Africa and western Mozambique. During this time, we documented the poaching of 1,985 rhinos across 11 reserves in the Greater Kruger area. This number is about 6.5% of the rhino populations in these reserves annually.

This landscape is a critical global stronghold that conserves around 25% of all Africa’s rhinos.

Our study’s headline result was that dehorning rhinos to reduce incentives for poaching achieved a 78% reduction in poaching (average reduction across implementing reserves). This was based on comparison between sites with and without dehorning as well as changes in poaching before and after dehorning. Exactly 2,284 rhinos were dehorned across eight reserves over the seven years of our research – this was most of the rhino in the region.

Our findings show that significant progress can be made against rhino poaching by reducing the reward attached to poaching (removing the horn). This is a strategic shift in focus away from purely focusing on increasing risks to poachers.

But we are being careful to note that dehorning is not a complete solution. Our research found that 111 rhinos were poached even though they had been dehorned. This is because up to 15cm of horn is left on the rhino when it is dehorned by veterinarians. This is to protect the growth plate at the base of the horn.

Rhinos’ horns regrow over time. During our fieldwork, we also noticed that criminal syndicates remain willing to kill rhinos for their stumps, even if they do this at lower rates than before dehorning.

It may be best to think of dehorning as a very effective but short-term solution that buys us time to address the more ultimate drivers of poaching: horn demand, socio-economic inequality, corruption, and organised criminal networks.

A different approach to pinning down the problem

Part of what made our study special was its strong focus on collaboration between managers and scientists. The project was first conceived by reserve managers at the frontline of rhino conservation and led by Sharon Haussmann, chief executive officer of the Greater Kruger Environmental Protection Foundation. They recognised the need to take a look at whether their investments into tracking dogs, artificial intelligence cameras and other anti-poaching interventions were paying off.

Faced with a poaching crisis despite millions of dollars invested in law enforcement, security and technology, Sharon and the team were bold enough to ask: “Why are we still losing so many rhinos? What could we do differently?” These managers then began working closely with scientists to tackle this problem together through our research.

Tragically, Sharon died unexpectedly on 31 May, less than a week before our research was published. We want to dedicate this research to her legacy.

Detecting and arresting poachers alone is not enough

The nature reserves we studied had invested US$74 million (R1 billion) in anti-poaching interventions between 2017 and 2021. Most of the investment focused on reactive law enforcement – rangers, tracking dogs, helicopters, access controls and detection cameras. This helped achieve over 700 poacher arrests. Yet we found no statistical evidence that these interventions significantly reduced poaching.

Why? These interventions are a necessary element of the anti-poaching toolkit. But they were compromised by bigger challenges. For example, stark socio-economic inequality in the region creates the ideal conditions for crime to thrive, and criminal syndicates find it easy to recruit people willing to take the large risk of poaching rhino.

Entrenched corruption among police and reserve staff allowed offenders access to inside information on the locations of dogs, cameras and rhinos. This meant that poaching was not deterred as much as it could have been.

Finally, ineffective criminal justice systems mean that arrested offenders often escape punishment, with evidence from the Greater Kruger of poachers who were multiple repeat offenders.

What can be done differently?

A range of interventions will be needed to complement dehorning, particularly as poaching for stumps would probably continue if there were no risk to poachers. There is also some evidence that dehorning rhino in one area means poachers may move to another area where rhino still have horns and poach there instead. (This has happened in South Africa’s second largest rhino stronghold in Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park where rhino have not been dehorned.)

Our findings challenge the conventional wisdom that detecting and arresting poachers is enough on its own. Instead, we recommend these measures:

1. Give local people a voice and a stake. Many people affected by rhino conservation have no say and don’t share in the benefits of the industry.

2. Disrupt transnational criminal networks outside protected areas through intelligence-led investigations (follow the money).

3. Continue supporting dehorning in the short term. This will buy time to solve the biggest drivers of wildlife crime: inequality, horn demand, and corruption.

4. Dehorning needs to be supported by other measures to protect the rhino.

5. Support people first, then interventions. Rangers are key here – their welfare, wages, training and safety are not always given the attention or funding they deserve.

6. Keep loving rhinos and buying your kids pyjamas with them on.

Timothy Kuiper, Senior Lecturer - Biodiversity and Statistics, Nelson Mandela University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Read More........→June 07, 2025