Nikela Volunteer/Guest blogger, Author at Nikela: Helping People Saving Wildlife

Poaching and trophy hunting endanger Africa’s fragile giraffe populations

Apr 30, 2019 · by Nikela Volunteer/Guest blogger · In: Animal Poaching, conservation, endangered, giraffe, Human Wildlife Conflict, Nikela Blog, wildlife conservation Tagged: animal poaching, Conservation Action Trust, giraffe populations

Will giraffe populations survive humanity? They are as iconic as lions, rhinos and elephants and their long-term existence in the wild is under similar threat, however the world’s tallest animals get much less public attention or protection. In dire straits Giraffes are in decline in many parts of Africa as a result of habitat loss due to humans. However, what many people don’t know, is the species remains driven towards extermination by two types of hunters: those so poor, they kill for food , and those so rich, they kill for sport. According to the International Union for Conservation of…

Shock reversal by DEA of Parliamentary Resolution on captive lion breeding

Mar 26, 2019 · by Nikela Volunteer/Guest blogger · In: canned hunting, Nikela Blog Tagged: captive breeding, captive hunting, Conservation Action Trust, Department of Environmental Affairs, South Africa

The Issue A Parliamentary Resolution to end the Captive lion Breeding in South Africa has been ignored by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA), who proposed that the Captive Lion Breeding (CLB) industry should continue as long as it is properly regulated and appropriate legislation is introduced. This happened at a briefing meeting of the Portfolio Committee of Environmental Affairs (PCEA) on the implementation of the Committee’s Report in respect of CLB held on 12th March. This ignores the PCEA Report from a two-day Parliamentary Colloquium on CLB in August 2018, which included the Resolution specifying that “DEA should as…

Botswana proposes hunting and trade as elephant population declines

Mar 7, 2019 · by Nikela Volunteer/Guest blogger · In: Nikela Blog, trophy hunting Tagged: Botswana, Conservation Action Trust, elephant hunting

The results of the recent and most extensive elephant population survey of Botswana estimates the country’s population at 126,000 elephants, a further decline from 131,600 reported in 2014. Nonetheless Botswana proposes hunting! The report shows repeated evidence of significant increases in elephant poaching in four hotspots in Northern Botswana, which started a media storm last year. This report by Elephants without Borders (EWB) comes after the cabinet sub-committee presented their pro hunting report to President Masisi on Thursday last week, which proposes not only lifting the hunting ban, but also the introduction of regular elephant culling and associated elephant meat…

Saving the highly endangered Pangolin one at a time

Jan 23, 2019 · by Nikela Volunteer/Guest blogger · In: Animal Poaching, endangered, Nikela Blog, Pangolin, wildlife conservation Tagged: Conservation Action Trust, endangered pangolin, Natalie Rogers

Living in the African Bush Natalie goes about saving the highly endangered Pangolin one at a time. Slowly the tiny ball in the wooden crate began to unwind. Its scales moved and a pointy nose followed by two black button eyes emerged. Natalie was entranced. The baby pangolin unwrapped its tail, holding out its front legs and gazed at her, asking to be picked up. It was love at first sight. Natalie is a veterinary nurse, used to caring for all sorts of African animals (including orphaned rhino calves) – but this young pangolin is a first for her. Ramphy…

Young Balule elephant shot 13 times before horrified guests

Dec 9, 2018 · by Nikela Volunteer/Guest blogger · In: elephant, Nikela Blog, trophy hunting, wildlife conservation Tagged: APNR, Conservation Action Trust, Kruger National Park, trophy hunting

Just as the furor about the trophy hunting of the pride male named Skye began abating, another incident, the shooting of a young Balule elephant, has highlighted the ethics of hunting in the Associated Private Nature Reserves (APNR) alongside the Kruger National Park. This time the victim, a young Bulele elephant, was shot 13 times within sight of traumatized guests. Balule is a reserve within the APNR. After the first shot, the elephant began screaming and its cries were only silenced 12 shots later. Guests staying at Parsons Nature Reserve near the boundary of Maseke Nature Reserve were relaxing on…