High Above, Drones Keep Close Eye On Africa's Wildlife
Poaching has escalated in recent years with record numbers of rhino and elephants being killed across Africa for their horn. The poachers are becoming increasingly militarised in their tactics, and efforts to stop them have had little success. Some of the criminals are turning to poison instead of using their noisy rifles as police and park rangers increase joint patrols. Parks around the continent have however embarked on an unusual high-tech experiment to curb poaching. Flying silently and invisibly, drones could be a game changer as they track both wildlife and the movement of hunters, relaying information to ground enforcement teams, who can then stop poachers before any slaughter takes place.
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Zambia: Govt Deploys Drones to Fight Poachers
Citizen, 5 March 2018
Zambia has launched drones surveillance in its national parks to curb poaching. Read more »
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Zimbabwe: Poachers Wield Cyanide as New Weapon Against Elephants
allAfrica, 13 February 2018
The poaching of elephants on the continent has dramatically increased, with poachers increasingly turning to poison instead of using their noisy rifles as police and park rangers… Read more »
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South Africa: Two Lebanese Brothers in Court for Hezbollah Drone Export Case
News24Wire, 26 February 2018
Two Lebanese citizens are expected to appear at the Kempton Park Magistrate's Court on Monday for allegedly illegally exporting components of drones to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Read more »
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Africa: Decline in Elephant Poaching Could Be Short-Lived
ISS, 19 February 2018
Elephant poaching in Africa has dropped for five consecutive years to levels last witnessed over a decade ago. The latest report by the Convention on International Trade in… Read more »
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Tanzania: How U.S.$2 Million Initiative Helped Net 2,617 Suspected Poachers
Citizen, 27 February 2018
A total of 2,617 suspected poachers were arrested between 2013 and 2015, thanks to a decision by six companies to invest Sh4.5 billion in wildlife conservation. Read more »
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Namibia: Namibia Aims At Reducing Poaching By 50 Percent
New Era, 21 February 2018
According to the latest statistics, Namibia's anti-poaching unit is proving a success with the country only having recorded three cases of rhino poaching this year. Read more »
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Cameroon: Poachers Killing Elephants, Their Protectors in the North
VOA, 23 February 2018
Cameroon says a wave of attacks by armed elephant poachers has killed at least eight soldiers and rangers in a northern national park. The poachers killed elephants too, further… Read more »
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Congo-Kinshasa: Record Jail Time for DRC Poachers
CAJ News, 26 February 2018
CONGO-Brazzaville has meted out the highest sentence for wildlife crime with the conviction of poachers from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for the recent slaughter of 11… Read more »
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Botswana: Police Link Poaching to Elephants Attacking People
Botswana Daily News, 18 January 2018
Elephant attacks on human beings in some villages of the Okavango District are on the rise . Read more »
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Ethiopia: Illegal Poaching On the Decline - Authority
Ethiopian Herald, 4 January 2018
Ethiopian Wildlife Development and Conservation Authority (EWCA) said wildlife illegal poaching is relatively decreasing from time to time. Read more »
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Tanzania: US-Made Drone to Help in Protection of Wildlife
Citizen, 18 September 2017
Full scale surveillance against poachers using drones will commence at the Katavi National Park before long. Read more »
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Uganda: EU Urged to Introduce a Strict Ban On Ivory Trade
Observer, 3 March 2017
Dr Adrew Seguya, the executive director of the Uganda Wildlife Authority, is pushing for a strict ban on ivory trade. Christian Basl talked to him about what the move would mean… Read more »
InFocus
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A 62-year-old poacher has been arrested in Mozambique's district of Moamba for deliberately poisoning at least 104 vultures thought to be an endangered species. Found in possession ... Read more »
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Following the failure of Tanzanian police to make any arrests in the murder of prominent South African wildlife conservationist Wayne Lotter, Natural Resources and Tourism Minister ... Read more »
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Elephant poaching is a huge problem in Tanzania, the government has over the years made efforts to reduce it and now a new study by the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute has ... Read more »
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Anti-poaching campaigner and South Africa national, Wayne Lotter, who lived and worked in Tanzania for many years died on the spot when three gun-toting men ambushed his car and ... Read more »
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The Meerkat wide range surveillance system has been introduced at the Kruger National Park where it has already stopped five out of nine detected rhino poaching incidents. Read more »
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The decision has been praised as a historic milestone in efforts to save African elephants from poaching. Read more »
