Wildlife crime is decimating Africa’s iconic species of elephant, rhino, lion and leopard and threatening the very existence of Africa’s protected areas. The alarming rise in rhino poaching stands at the forefront of this wildlife crime crisis....
Having recently celebrated my 30th year with the Wilderness Foundation, it is appropriate to take a moment to reflect on where we have come from before we plan for the future. The Wilderness Foundation was established in 1972 by conservation pioneer and my mentor, Dr Ian Player, who led the team that saved the white rhino from extinction in the 1960s. The team at the Wilderness Foundation will continue the legacy of Ian, working to create a world that has sufficient intact natural ecosystems and wilderness areas that are valued and effectively protected for the benefit of all species.
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A new rhino awareness campaign that launched this month in 11 international schools throughout Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), is calling on the young people of Vietnam to be superheroes and speak out against the use of rhino horn in their country.
The Wilderness Foundation Africa, through the Forever Wild Rhino Protection Initiative and the Wildlife Operations Group, has offered a R100 000 reward for information leading to the successful arrest and prosecution of those involved in the most recent killing of rhino in the Eastern Cape.
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Earlier today, Minister of Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa, declared the Mountain Zebra-Camdeboo Protected Environment. This is in accordance with Act No. 57 of 2003 of the National Environmental Management: Protected Areas Act, 2003, under section 28(1). The Wilderness Foundation, in conjunction with South African National Parks, facilitated the establishment of the Protected Environment through the Mountain Zebra Camdeboo Corridor project, and South African National Parks will be responsible for the monitoring and annual auditing thereof in future.
J.K. Rowling notes that "it is impossible to live without failing at something unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all - in which case, you fail by default.” Refusing to let failure determine the course of their lives, the first Siyazenzela group for 2016, graduated from the wellness and skills development programme on 11 February 2016.
The 19th of January, 2016, marked yet another incredible journey and good story to tell for the Wilderness Foundation Africa. It was day one in class for many budding and eager to learn Siyazenzela students. But like everyone else on their first day of school, the emotions were a mixture of excitement and nervousness about the journey ahead. The students were meeting for the very first time inside the classroom after their wilderness selection trail.
The beautiful thing about South Africa is its diverse cultures and heritage. We are a nation that prides itself on the beauty of our land and its people. In an effort to emulate and teach students the importance of understanding cultural diversity and ensuring tolerance, Siyazenzela hosted a cultural event as part of their programme to create and develop a deeper awareness and understanding of the cultural dynamics.
It is almost impossible to know how leopards are faring in South Africa. They are secretive animals that are mainly nocturnal, solitary, and range over huge areas. Counting them requires intensive research using expensive technology such camera traps, which can only be deployed over small areas, far smaller than the areas in which hunting quotas are determined. Hunting them will speed up their extinction.
Pakamani Nombila recently joined the WFA as a Junior Report Writer and joined our Umzi Wethu youth on a trail in the Tsitsikamma area as part of his induction. Below is a blog on Pakamani’s experience on trail.For me, one of the most amazing things about being on trail and camping has to be the mornings. Being a villager almost all my life, waking up to the chanting and singing sounds of the birds in the morning reminded me of a place very close to my heart. It reminded me of home, where in the morning roosters would alert you that it was time to get up and get on with your day.
