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When Authority Becomes Tyranny

When Authority Becomes Tyranny

By Prof Brian Child In my early career working with African villages, I, like many others, assumed that these small communities had high levels of social capital. Surveys of livelihoods and governance in dryland communities in at least five countries in Southern Africa suggest the opposite. Trust within communities is

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (5-minute Video)

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (5-minute Video)

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is a global organization dedicated to nature conservation and sustainable resource use. Founded in 1948, it brings together governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), scientists, and experts to develop and implement conservation strategies worldwide. Key Functions of the IUCN: 1. Biodiversity Conservation – Works to

Patrolling Versus Intelligence (5-minute Video)

Patrolling Versus Intelligence (5-minute Video)

The Luwire Wildlife Reserve, situated in the Niassa Reserve in northern Mozambique, employs various anti-poaching patrol approaches. Foot patrols are sent out from eight scout outposts. Vehicles are deployed to reach the more remote parts of the area, and cheap Chinese motorbikes are the most economical and versatile for various

The Evolution of a Wildlife Sanctuary

The Evolution of a Wildlife Sanctuary

Zimbabwe's Savé Valley Conservancy has transformed from struggling cattle ranches to one of southern Africa's largest private game reserves. The Heritage of Ranching The foundations of what would become the Savé Valley Conservancy stretch back to the 1920s. Roger Whittall's father immigrated to Rhodesia

From Devastation to Thriving Wilderness: The Remarkable Restoration of Coutada 11

From Devastation to Thriving Wilderness: The Remarkable Restoration of Coutada 11

How one safari operation transformed a war-torn landscape into Africa's most inspiring conservation success story By Zig Mackintosh In the heart of Mozambique, an extraordinary conservation triumph has unfolded over three decades, largely hidden from the world's view. Spanning 500,000 acres of once-decimated wilderness, Coutada

One Poached Every Two Minutes (8-minute Video)

One Poached Every Two Minutes (8-minute Video)

The deserts and semi-arid regions of South Africa are home to some of the world's most unique and diverse succulent plant species. But these botanical treasures are vanishing at an alarming rate through poaching. The silent theft of these ancient, slow-growing plants is pushing entire species to the

Animals Before People? The Biodiversity Conservation Dilemma

Animals Before People? The Biodiversity Conservation Dilemma

Is it a misconception that people from the Global North put animal interests ahead of human interests and the interests of individual animals over groups of animals? What do the people of Africa think? A 2025 research paper by Mutinhima et al. examines these enduring ideological divisions in biodiversity conservation.

Crossroads of Crisis: Northern Cameroon's Poaching Epidemic (5-minute Video)

Crossroads of Crisis: Northern Cameroon's Poaching Epidemic (5-minute Video)

Between 2011 and 2012, caravans of Sudanese poachers decimated Northern Cameroon's elephant population with shocking speed. Where elephants were once a daily sight, all signs of them disappeared entirely. The poachers operated in heavily armed groups of 25 to 30 men, traveling on camels and horses. Whenever Professional

Getting Shafted, Left, Right and Center

Getting Shafted, Left, Right and Center

By Prof Brian Child Most rural people in forests and drylands have insecure land rights, especially in Africa. The perpetuation of so-called communal land is a tragedy, holding people in neo-feudal conditions, where the land is owned ‘on their behalf’ by the state, and they are the ‘subjects’ of traditional

Fighting Poachers on Lake Kariba: An Unrelenting Battle

Fighting Poachers on Lake Kariba: An Unrelenting Battle

With Professional Hunter, Pete Fick There's nothing quite like the shimmer of Lake Kariba at dawn. The water stretches out like glass, reflecting the orange-pink sky, with silhouettes of fish eagles perched on dead trees jutting from the water. It is magical... or at least it used to

Non-timber Forest Products and Poaching (4-minute Video)

Non-timber Forest Products and Poaching (4-minute Video)

What does a topic like non-timber forest products (NTFPs) have to do with anti-poaching? If we don't address the root cause of poaching, solving the problem becomes difficult, and sustainable community development and conservation strategies are closely linked. NTFPs provide alternative livelihoods for communities that might otherwise turn

Industrial Scale Poaching Crushed (5-minute Video)

Industrial Scale Poaching Crushed (5-minute Video)

Between 2011 and 2018, the Niassa Reserve in northern Mozambique experienced one of Africa's most devastating elephant poaching crises. This protected area, spanning approximately 42,000 square kilometers, witnessed a catastrophic decline in its elephant population. Scale of the Crisis * The elephant population plummeted from approximately 12,000

Affordable, Appropriate Technology to Combat Poaching

Affordable, Appropriate Technology to Combat Poaching

By Duane Jacobsz Technology has become a significant weapon in Africa's battle against wildlife poaching. Advanced tools such as drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras, AI-powered camera traps that can distinguish between animals and humans, and GPS tracking collars on animals that help anticipate poaching risks are cool

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Duiker, Blue Duiker

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Duiker, Blue Duiker

Wildlife censuses are systematic surveys that count and monitor animal populations in specific areas. They provide crucial data for conservation efforts, habitat management, and policy decisions. Key Methods: * Direct observation: Visual counts from ground, air, or water * Capture-mark-recapture: Tagging animals to estimate population size * Camera trapping: Using remote cameras to