endangered specieslatest news & developments
Freshwater ecosystems are rich but fragile. Of the new fish species discovered, many are critically endangered. Among the standout species is Yang’s plateau loach, a cavefish from China’s Yunnan Province whose expanded swim bladder chambers protrude visibly from its body, giving the impression of a built-in lifejacket.

From Congo to China: 309 freshwater fish species uncovered last year

Freshwater ecosystems are rich but fragile. Of the new fish species discovered, many are critically endangered

  • Sheree Bega
5 min read
Urgent action: Even in protected areas, prey depletion and bushmeat snares pose serious risks. Many African countries have set aside significant protected areas that could support three to four times the current lion population if they were adequately funded and managed. Photo: Supplied

Poaching for body parts poses ‘existential threat’ to lions

Scientists warn that rising demand in Africa and Asia is fuelling targeted poaching and could push some lion populations towards local extinction

  • Sheree Bega
7 min read
The bontebok has recovered from just 17 surviving animals in the 1930s to between 9 800 and 11 000 today. (Flickr)

Bontebok delisted at Cites: South Africa wins bid to lift international trade restrictions

But critics say hybridisation risks and habitat loss mean wild bontebok remain vulnerable

  • Sheree Bega
4 min read
There are far more African forest elephants than conservationists previously thought — not because the critically endangered species is recovering, but because scientists are now able to count them more accurately.

DNA surveys reveal far more African forest elephants than previously known

A new IUCN report shows African forest elephants are more numerous than previously believed, not due to recovery, but thanks to groundbreaking DNA-based surveys that have transformed how the elusive species is counted

  • Sheree Bega
4 min read
The discovery of KwaZulu-Natal’s first active hooded vulture nest has been hailed as a landmark vulture conservation milestone

Vulture conservation boosted as first active hooded vulture nest confirmed in Zululand

Discovery of a hooded vulture nest offers hope and renewed urgency for protecting these critically endangered birds

  • Sheree Bega
6 min read
Increased vehicular traffic and better-paved roads in montane environments heighten the risks to wildlife. (File photo by Kerri Wolter)

Expanding roads in mountainous regions endanger Africa’s wildlife

Growing road networks are endangering African wild dogs, lions, and vultures, as roadkill incidents rise with increased traffic and habitat disruption

  • Sheree Bega
5 min read
The resurgence of the M23 rebel group and other armed factions has led to increasing threats, forcing conservationists into a desperate fight to protect endangered wildlife while struggling with dwindling support and mounting insecurity.

War and wildlife: Congo park rangers risk lives to protect endangered species

Park authorities have been assisting ranger families, but the conflict and economic instability leaves them vulnerable

  • Eyaaz
3 min read
Photo: Jane Goodall Institute

South Africa’s pangolins face rising threat as illegal trade grows

China has proposed a drastic reduction in the use of pangolin scales for traditional medicine

  • Sheree Bega
7 min read
Environmentalists have welcomed the official declaration last Friday of the Western Soutpansberg Nature Reserve, a “forgotten mountain” spanning 11 607 hectares of critical biodiversity in Limpopo. (Supplied)

The ‘Forgotten Mountain’ is the newest reserve in Limpopo

The biodiversity rich Western Soutpansberg Nature Reserve is made up of eight landowners who manage the land as a collective

  • Sheree Bega
5 min read
African penguins, endemic to Southern Africa, are one of the most threatened seabird species globally and they face the risk of extinction in the wild by 2035. Populations have shrunk by 90% in the past 70 years, dwindling to about 8 500 breeding pairs today.

Africa’s only penguin moves closer to extinction

The seabirds were recently moved to critically endangered status, meaning drastic action has to be taken to save them from being wiped out

  • Sheree Bega
6 min read
Artificial nests increased African penguin breeding rates by 16.5%, though there is no one-size-fits-all design for them. (Supplied)

Boosting breeding success: How artificial nests help endangered African penguins

Artificial nests increased their breeding rates by 16.5%, though there is no one-size-fits-all design for them This content is restricted to registered users and subscribers. Get Your Free Account The Mail & Guardian is committed to providing all our readers with the best possible experience. Please register your free account now. Your registration is your first step to becoming an M&G community member. Register Registration enables: – M&G newsletters access – notifications – the best possible experience Already registered? Login here Want to subscribe and get even more benefits? Explore our subscription offers

  • Sheree Bega
1 min read
Stranded birds, Robert Kigongo

Kampala’s tree felling is endangering egrets and biodiversity

Infrastructure development in Uganda’s capital should not destroy habitats and green spaces

3 min read
A Dugong in Bazaruto Archipelago National Park, Mozambique. (Andrea Marshall)

Why Mozambique is tracking Dugong movements with satellite technology

Interest in dugong conservation is surging beyond Mozambique, with regional initiatives being launched to protect the sea mammals

  • Des Erasmus
4 min read
In March, Hera was one of two individuals tagged with tiny, solar-powered satellite trackers through BirdLife South Africa’s European roller monitoring project. (BirdLife SA)

Hera the European roller’s epic migration uncovers new flight paths for bird conservation

Tagged by BirdLife SA, Hera completed a 10 000 km journey from Limpopo to her breeding ground in Uzbekistan

  • Sheree Bega
5 min read
Overexploitation to supply the exotic pet trade has driven the extinction in the wild of some species, such as Spix’s macaw.

The parrot trade boom: Risks and consequences for endangered species

New research probes whether captive breeding is hurting or helping parrots

  • Sheree Bega
7 min read
Photo by Julian Hahne

Meet the real rhino whisperers protecting black rhinos in KwaZulu-Natal

The WWF’s Black Rhino Range Expansion Project has established 17 new populations

  • Sheree Bega
7 min read
Land owners, local government and civil society have come together to take positive steps towards better land governance. (Leisa Tyler/LightRocket via Getty Images)

How the new Northern Drakensberg Nature Reserve is transforming conservation in South Africa

The reserve connects the Maluti Drakensberg Transfrontier Conservation Area to southern grazing lands. Conservationists hope there will soon be a continuous protected area

  • Des Erasmus
5 min read