In a bid to better understand the distribution and threats facing several highly threatened and endemic amphibians, the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Threatened Amphibian Program recently launched a project in the Western Cape, focusing on five of the most range-restricted frogs of the region. This work is being done in partnership with the Bionerds, supported by the Whitley … [Read more...]
Much celebration as cheetah returns to Rietvlei
After a gruelling 14-hour journey, the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) successfully relocated a female cheetah from the Western Cape to Rietvlei Nature Reserve in Gauteng. The City of Tshwane approved the relocation of wild Cheetahs to Rietvlei, as well as a donation of 250 blesbok, springbok, red hartebeest, black wildebeest and zebra to Rietvlei Nature Reserve, also made … [Read more...]
EWT needs your donations to fight poaching
The “storm” that is COVID 19 has arrived in South Africa and by all accounts, we have weathered it better than many had predicted. I like to put this down to the resilience and fighting spirit of South African people from all walks of life. We are certainly a nation of survivors! The lengthy lockdown has not however been without severe, and in some cases, catastrophic … [Read more...]
Conservation NGOs welcome the reopening of nature-based tourism
The COVID-19 global pandemic has affected almost every aspect of life as we know it. In South Africa alone, the economic effects are devastating with the GDP expected to decline by between 8% and 10% in 2020. Job losses are estimated at over a million and more than 160 000 businesses are expected to close their doors. Under Lockdown Level 3, many sectors have been allowed to … [Read more...]
Giant leap for SA amphibian conservation recognised
A conservation biologist from South Africa has won a prestigious Whitley Award worth £40,000 to support her quest to save threatened amphibians. Dr Jeanne Tarrant works for the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), where she manages the Threatened Amphibian Programme. The EWT is the only NGO in South Africa to include frogs as a conservation focus. The Whitley Awards, often … [Read more...]
EWT responds to China’s illegal wildlife trade ban
The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) welcomes the announcement by the Chinese Communist Party to enforce the ban on illegal wildlife trade and increase regulation of wildlife markets. Evidence points to wildlife markets as a source of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), which has resulted in human and economic costs. The EWT emphasises their position that these markets pose … [Read more...]
Constitutional Court rules against Mpumalanga coal mining
The Constitutional Court has had the final say on the approvals for a coal mine inside an Mpumalanga Protected Area and Strategic Water Source Area. Earlier this month, the Constitutional Court refused the mining company’s final challenge of a 2018 High Court decision to set aside Ministerial approvals for the proposal coal mine. The Mabola Protected Environment near … [Read more...]
Celebrating the continent’s largest African Wild Dog reintroduction
Thanks to a huge restoration effort implemented after Mozambique’s brutal civil war that destroyed most of the country’s wildlife, Gorongosa National Park is now an extensive protected area with an abundance of game. The restoration of Gorongosa – funded by entrepreneur and philanthropist, Gregg Carr – has been a huge effort involving national government, including the … [Read more...]
Expanding conservation in the Soutpansberg Mountains
The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) is proud to announce the acquisition of an additional 1,335 ha of critically important habitat in the Soutpansberg Mountains, bringing the area under EWT conservation management to around 2 800 ha. This recent acquisition borders the Medike Nature Reserve, which was acquired in 2018, a wonderful feat made possible by the generous support … [Read more...]
Trained dogs to be placed across SA to stop poachers
World Rhino Day this year is again marred by horrendous statistics illustrating the poaching pandemic across the African continent. According to the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF), since 2008 some 7,900 black and white rhinos have been slaughtered for the illicit trade of their horns. The fight against poaching has been arduous and continually … [Read more...]
Africa’s critically endangered vultures face relentless poisoning
In a letter published yesterday in the journal Science, vulture researchers have raised the alarm over the relentless poisoning of Critically Endangered vultures across Africa. During the past 20 months, over 1,000 vultures across the African continent have perished due to widespread poisoning. Vultures have succumbed to poisoning in Mozambique, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, … [Read more...]
Knowledge hub established to save Africa’s most iconic cat
When you think of a species on the brink, you probably don’t think of the African Lion – the king of the African savannah. But for the last two decades the lion has been quietly sliding closer to extinction, and Africa has lost half its wild population of this iconic species in the last 25 years alone. A new knowledge hub, recently launched by the Endangered Wildlife Trust … [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...]
