Africa

Tiny lizards found in Madagascar

From Editor, “I found this on BBC and had to post it for the herp fans.” From BBC Nature – One of the world’s tiniest lizards has been discovered by keen-eyed researchers in Madagascar. The miniature chameleon, Brookesia micra, reaches a maximum length of just 29mm. German scientists also found a further three new species [...]

21Feb2012 | Sara | 0 comments | Continued

National Zoological Gardens of South Africa – Herman celebrated his birthday with a 3kg turkey

Herman, one of the zoo’s two Komodo dragons, which celebrates its 5th birthday today. He, along with brother Indie, arrived from the Chester Zoo in the United Kingdom about four years ago. What makes these two dragons unique is that they are the only two of their kind in the country and only housed at [...]

21Jan2012 | Sara | 0 comments | Continued

South Africans, Vietnamese meet on rhino poaching

By Associated Press JOHANNESBURG (AP) — More needs to be done to dispel the myth among the Vietnamese that rhinoceros horn can cure cancer, Vietnamese officials said Wednesday after meeting with their South African counterparts about curbing rhino poaching. This year already, 309 rhinos have been poached in South Africa, compared to the 2010 record [...]

29Sep2011 | Sara | 0 comments | Continued

INTERNATIONAL CONSERVATIONISTS BEING TRAINED

Otjiwarongo, Namibia – For the past four weeks the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) conducted its 6th International Cheetah Conservation Biology Training Course. Twenty-six conservation biologists from Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ethiopia, Niger, Iran, Uzbekistan, South Sudan and India, as well as cheetah conservationists from Australia, Brazil and the United Kingdom, attended this course, which is supported [...]

5Jul2011 | Sara | 0 comments | Continued

Rare skink saved from extinction in Mauritius

Source: BBC News The animals are thought to be extinct on their native Flat Island in Mauritius, because invasive shrews that prey on them are now established there. This rescue should enable the trust to start a captive breeding programme. “We ultimately hope to reintroduce the species to the island,” said Durrell’s head of field [...]

12Jun2011 | Sara | 0 comments | Continued

New cockroach found in popular S. Africa reserve

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Some scientists peer into ocean depths and explore jungles in search of new species. South African scientist Mike Picker made his discovery — a new species of cockroach — in the middle of a top tourist destination. Cape Town’s Table Mountain National Park is home to the world’s only jumping cockroach, which [...]

27May2011 | Sara | 0 comments | Continued

Study: Turtles in Africa need protection

Source: UPI.com NEW YORK, May 12 (UPI) — Protected areas for endangered olive ridley sea turtles off the coast of Central Africa may be inadequate to safeguard them from fishing nets, researchers say. Scientists in the study recommended the extension of an international marine park that spans the waters of Gabon and the Republic of [...]

13May2011 | Sara | 0 comments | Continued

Scientists puzzled by ‘naked’ penguins

WASHINGTON, (UPI) — U.S. researchers say a mysterious disorder in penguin colonies on both sides of the South Atlantic is causing chicks to lose their feathers. Researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society and the University of Washington say “naked” penguins, afflicted with a condition known as feather-loss disorder, were first seen in Cape Town, South [...]

11Apr2011 | Sara | 0 comments | Continued

International Conservationists attend courses at the Cheetah Conservation Fund

Otjiwarongo, Namibia – During February, the Cheetah Conservation Fund hosted a two-week international training course on Integrated Livestock, Wildlife, and Predator Management. Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Benin and Namibia were represented by the 23 course participants, all of whom are involved in conservation and working with communities. The course was supported by the Howard G. [...]

18Mar2011 | Sara | 0 comments | Continued

BIG CAT WEEK on Nat Geo WILD

Begins Monday, December 6 at 9PM ET/PT http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/big-cats/ In a dramatic showcase of the world’s most extraordinary big cat species, Nat Geo WILD presents its first annual BIG CAT WEEK beginning Monday, December 6, 2010. The seven-night television event features visually stunning and powerfully resonant stories of nature’s fiercest felines from some of the world’s [...]

3Dec2010 | Sara | 0 comments | Continued

Two Rare Kangal Puppies Join the Cheetah Conservation Fund’s Livestock Guarding Dog Programme

(Otjiwarongo, Namibia) – After several years of looking for new Kangal dog bloodlines to increase its breeding programme, the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) recently welcomed two Kangal puppies donated by Anne Hupel from Bonnie Blue Flag Kangals in France. The two puppies, Firat (male) and Feliz (female), were transported from France to Namibia by Patrick [...]

7Nov2010 | Sara | 1 comment | Continued

CCF FOUNDER LAURIE MARKER RECEIVES THE EXPLORERS CLUB’S LOWELL THOMAS AWARD

(New York, NY, and Otjiwarongo, Namibia, 3 November 2010) – Dr. Laurie Marker, Founder and Executive Director of the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), received the Lowell Thomas Award at the Explorers Club annual awards dinner, held in New York City, USA on 23 October. The award honours outstanding achievements in the field of exploration and [...]

4Nov2010 | Sara | 0 comments | Continued

SPECIAL TREAT FOR PENSIONERS ON 9 NOVEMBER 2010!

NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF SOUTH AFRICA SPECIAL TREAT FOR PENSIONERS ON 9 NOVEMBER 2010! 9 November 2010 sees the final free day for senior citizens’ for 2010 and all seniors 60 and plus are cordially invited to attend. Free entrance is offered to them for the Zoo, the Aquarium and the Reptile Park. The day’s [...]

27Oct2010 | Sara | 0 comments | Continued

Endangered black rhino shot 9 times by poachers survives, is taken to South African zoo

By The Associated Press (CP) JOHANNESBURG — A critically endangered black rhino shot nine times by poachers in South Africa has been moved to a zoo in Johannesburg. Faan Coetzee of the Endangered Wildlife Trust said Monday that 5-year-old Phila will stay at the zoo until she recovers from her wounds, which may take six [...]

26Oct2010 | Sara | 1 comment | Continued

New mammal found in Madagascar

LONDON, (UPI) — British wildlife conservationists say they’ve identified a new carnivorous mammal species in Madagascar in the wetlands of the country’s largest lake. A team from the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust has named the mongoose-like creature Durrel’s vonstira after Gerald Durrell, the trust’s founder, the BBC reported. With its marshy home under threat from [...]

12Oct2010 | Sara | 0 comments | Continued

U.S. TRADE MISSION TO NAMIBIA VISITS CHEETAH CONSERVATION FUND AND BUSHBLOK FACTORY IN OTJIWARONGO.

The Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) and its Bush Project today were visited by a U.S. trade mission to Namibia coordinated by the Namibian Ministry of Trade and Industry. The goal of the mission was to provide U.S. business people with the opportunity to meet and network with their Namibian counterparts as well as government officials, [...]

2Sep2010 | Sara | 0 comments | Continued

RACING INTO THE FUTURE: CHEETAH CONSERVATION FUND’S 12TH ANNUAL FUNDRAISING GALA AND AWARDS

(Otjiwarongo, Namibia) – For the 12th year, the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) celebrated the speed and elegance of the cheetah at their Gala Dinner and Conservation Awards presentation, held Saturday at the Windhoek Country Club. This year’s theme, Racing into the Future, highlighted CCF’s vision for long-term cheetah survival, and its 20th anniversary. The lively [...]

20Jul2010 | Sara | 0 comments | Continued

Africa’s game parks rapidly losing animals: study

ABIDJAN (Reuters) – Africa’s game parks have lost well over half of their big mammals, such as the lions and buffalos that draw millions of tourists each year, to rampant hunting and farming since 1970, a study has found. The continent-wide study by specialists, including from the London Zoological Society and U.N. environment programme (UNEP), [...]

13Jul2010 | Sara | 2 comments | Continued

IT LIVES AGAIN – THANKS TO ZOO SPIDER EXPERT!

In a true Frankenstein-style story, one of the conservation staff of the National Zoological Gardens of the South Africa, has resurrected a King baboon spider (Citharischius crawshayi) after it appeared to be dead. This spider arrived at the NZG in mid-May with a group of other confiscated spiders; six of these tarantulas arrived dead. When [...]

8Jul2010 | Sara | 0 comments | Continued

Deep in Congo forest, exploding bushmeat trade threatens Pygmies’ way of life

Associated Press THE ITURI FOREST, CONGO — They emerge from the stillness of the rainforest like a lost tribe of prehistoric warriors forgotten by time — a barefoot band of Mbuti Pygmies wielding iron-tipped spears. The men come first, cloaked head to toe in coiled hunting nets shaved from the liana vine. Then the women, [...]

5Jul2010 | Sara | 0 comments | Continued

Egypt police catch man smuggling foxes, chameleons

(AP) CAIRO — Security at Cairo’s international airport on Wednesday stopped an Egyptian man trying to smuggle eight live foxes and 50 chameleons in a huge suitcase out of the country. Police stopped the 36-year-old traveler and asked him to open his suspiciously large suitcase, revealing the squirming mass of animals confined in small plastic [...]

17Jun2010 | Sara | 0 comments | Continued

A STORMY OPENING FOR THE NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS

After much anticipation and many years in the making, Stormy Bay, the new home to the National Zoological Gardens (NZG) South African fur seals, will officially be opened within the premises, on 16 June 2010. The development of Stormy Bay began in 2005 when the management of the zoo decided that their current home at [...]

11Jun2010 | Sara | 0 comments | Continued