Here's This Week's Africa Wildlife News Digest

Here is This Week’s Africa Wildlife News Digest

Chinese traditional medicine growth in Africa threatens wildlife

The Beijing-backed expansion of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in many African countries risks fuelling the illegal wildlife trade and threatens the future of some of the world’s most endangered species, a new report has warned.

The growth of the TCM market, coupled with the perception of Africa as a potential source of TCM ingredients, is a “prescription for disaster for some endangered animal species, such as leopards, pangolins and rhinos”, the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), which investigates wildlife and environmental crime, said in the report published on Wednesday.

Source: Aljazeera

This wild African cat has adapted to life in a big city surprisingly well

The caracal sat on the trail ahead of us, appearing calm as it watched our group of three hikers huff up the lower mountain slope on a warm October evening.

Cape Town’s streetlights blinked below, while the sheer rockface of Table Mountain rose on one side. We stood still, expecting the animal to retreat. Instead, he trotted right past us, the pool of light from our lowered headlamps illuminating his burnt-orange coat; round, pale eyes; and distinctive large, pointed ears topped with long black tufts. Pausing for a brief backward glance, the leggy feline vanished into the bushes.

Source: National Geographic

A silent extinction: Giraffes in peril

There is a silent extinction going on in Africa right now. Giraffes are in peril, with fewer giraffes in the wild than African elephants or hippos. The devastating decline is catching the attention of wildlife experts around the world, even here in Arizona.

Three of the four species of giraffe are considered Endangered, with two types Critically Endangered. Less than half of all giraffes survive beyond their first year, and already the giraffe has become extinct in seven African countries. This is all according to the nonprofit, “Save Giraffes Now.”

Source: azfamily

Census to shed light on elephant population in southern Africa

A wildlife nature reserve covering Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Angola will undertake a loose elephant census next year at the cost of $3 million.

The aerial survey by the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA) directorate will help in managing elephants that freely roam across member states.

Source: News24

Africa urged to fight wildlife trafficking

AFRICAN governments have been urged to jointly fight wildlife trafficking by coming up with legislation and policies that curb the vice.

Leading international wildlife conservation body, the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) on Tuesday told journalists attending a wildlife reporting training programme in Harare that laws should be crafted to impose stiffer sentences on wildlife poachers and traffickers.

Source: NewsDay