Understanding multiplier effects, and using them to your advantage is critical to building climate change resilience into your business, writes Jayson Coomer, CFO for Chicoa Fish Farm. The breakdown in our climate is accelerating at a rapid pace. This was the overriding message of a report issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in February this … [Read more...]
Protecting African wild dogs in KwaZulu-Natal
On Saturday 2nd April 2022, Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park (HiP) in KwaZulu-Natal released it's newest pack of African Wild Dogs, which is composed of four 3 year old males who were originally brought into the reserve from Tswalu Kalahari Reserve at the end of 2020, and two 2 year old females born in HiP. African Wild Dogs are Southern Africa’s most endangered carnivore with an … [Read more...]
South Africa’s southern right whales need our help
WWF South Africa and the University of Pretoria’s Mammal Research Institute Whale Unit are teaming up to support research on southern right whales which are facing a variety of new threats, not least the impact of a warming climate on their food supply. The Whale Unit, which falls under UP’s Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, has been monitoring southern right … [Read more...]
Help protect bird breeding grounds in Kleinbaai
The coastal strip in Kleinbaai is currently being excavated for the installation of a new sewer system. This area is the breeding ground for African Oystercatchers and white-fronted plovers. For years the people living next to this coastline have admired the birds looking after their young. They have protected the nests by putting up signs so that holidaymakers and dogs do … [Read more...]
South Africa’s live cheetah export exposed
South Africa is well-known for its intensive captive lion breeding industry, but its captive cheetah breeding side has never received the same exposure. As with lions, captive bred cheetah cubs are taken away from their mothers within days of birth to be hand-reared, which starts the habituating process. They are then used for petting, walking with cheetahs, and as photo … [Read more...]
Landmark decision for lions ahead of World Lion Day
The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) is delighted to note that the Pretoria High Court has today set aside the 2017 and 2018 lion bone quotas, stating that these were both unlawful and unconstitutional, and that due process was not followed in the setting of these quotas. Before giving his judgement, Judge Jody Kollapen said that this issue has implications for both current … [Read more...]
Calls for captive lion breeding ban welcomed by civil society
The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) and the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) have come out strongly in favour of a new Parliamentary report that calls for a ban on captive lion breeding in the country. Entitled Captive Lion Breeding for Hunting and Bone Trade in South Africa, the new report finds: Captive lion breeding holds no conservation value; There is no … [Read more...]
Lion breeding industry harming SA’s reputation according to new poll
A nationwide survey, by the Humane Society International (HSI), has revealed that the majority of South Africans believe the captive lion breeding industry is harming the country’s international reputation. This announcement comes on the first of a two-day South African Parliamentary inquiry into the lion breeding industry. According to the study, South Africans demonstrate … [Read more...]
Save the owls, help your garden
I just love falling asleep to the hoo-hoo emanating from our forested front garden. They love the huge and untrimmed trees and probably the healthy supply of elephant shrew that reside amongst the shrubs and hide beneath the ivy. But these wise and helpful creatures are threatened in several ways, with humans at the source of them all. We have encroached on their natural … [Read more...]
Save the Cape vulture
South African vultures are in serious trouble, especially the Cape vulture, which is critically endangered, with only 2900 breeding pairs remaining. Reasons for their decline are varied, but include problems such as pylon injuries, malicious poisonings, muti killings and insufficient food sources. Conservationist Kerri Wolter provides some perspective on the plight of these … [Read more...]
Through the eyes of a toad!
Imagine you are a western leopard toad living in your snug little home under a pot plant for 11 months of the year, happily snacking on organic, 'pesticide free' cockroaches and crickets in your vegetable patch at night while your human sleeps. It's the end of July, it's raining and the moon is getting fuller with every passing night. Your belly is laden with 1000 eggs … [Read more...]
Let’s keep the toadlets alive
On the Cape Peninsula hundreds of tiny little endangered western leopard toadlets as small as a finger nail have started the beginning of their terrestrial life with an overwhelming 1 kilometer hike from the breeding ponds to our gardens. Please don't take them back to the pond!! Can you imagine hiking all the way up Table Mountain only for somebody to pick you up and take … [Read more...]
Watch out for the toad moon
The next full moon is the start of our resident endangered Western Leopard Toad's epic migration across the Western Cape's roads to their local breeding ponds! In Noordhoek a group of special folk, the ToadNUTS dedicate themselves to helping ensure a safe passage for the toads towards and back from their breeding places. Now they are counting the days to the big work … [Read more...]
