Article Publications
National Geographic: Oil Drilling, Possible Fracking Planned for Okavango Region—Elephants’ Last Stronghold
Hundreds of oil wells could come to cover a huge expanse in Namibia and Botswana, in what has been called possibly the “largest oil play of the decade. BY JEFFREY BARBEE AND LAUREL NEME PUBLISHED OCTOBER 28, 2020 – National Geographic JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – Conservationists and community leaders in the spectacular Okavango wilderness region of Namibia and Botswana…
Read MoreNational Geographic: This ‘Rhino Court’ Had 100 Percent Poacher Convictions. Why Was it Closed?
Some conservationists and activists in South Africa are concerned that criminal syndicates are making it even more difficult to protect rhinos from poachers. By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED AUGUST 18, 2020 This ‘Rhino Court’ Had 100 Percent Poacher Convictions. Why Was it Closed? “GO NOW! THE spoor is fresh!” Sandra Snelling, an operations manager for South African…
Read MoreBats Magazine: Boosting Bats by Restoring Mexico’s Agaves
Boosting Bats by Restoring Mexico’s Agaves By Kristen Pope and Laurel Neme The endangered Mexican long-nosed bat (Leptonycteris nivalis) hovered beside the 20-foot-tall stalk of an agave and probed the deep flowers with its long snout. Lapping at the nectar, flakes of pollen blanketed its muzzle, ready to drop into the next flower. With light-colored…
Read MoreMongabay.com: Taylor and Tate: Canine-human teams rescue Australia’s fire-ravaged koalas
Ryan Tate and his English springer spaniel Taylor take a break from searching. Photo courtesy of Ryan Tate. Taylor and Tate: Canine-human teams rescue Australia’s fire-ravaged koalas BY LAUREL NEME ON 28 MAY 2020 Specially-trained koala detection dogs joined rescue teams during and after the catastrophic Australian bushfires to help find the injured marsupials quickly and increase…
Read MoreMongabay.com: What does it take to discover a new great ape species?
An adult Tapanuli orangutan, by Andrew Walmsley. What does it take to discover a new great ape species? Geneticists, morphologists and behavioral scientists reveal the inside story of how their research led to the description of the Tapanuli orangutan. BY LAUREL NEME ON 19 FEBRUARY 2019 Mongabay Series: Great Apes, Southeast Asian infrastructure In a paper published November 2017,…
Read MoreMongabay.com: New Species of orangutan threatened from moment of its discovery
A juvenile Tapanuli orangutan, photo by Andrew Walmsley. New Species of orangutan threatened from moment of its discovery While scientists worked to confirm Tapanuli orangutans were a distinct species, pressure was mounting on the apes’ habitat. BY LAUREL NEME ON 20 FEBRUARY 2019 Mongabay Series: Great Apes, Southeast Asian infrastructure In a November 2017 article, an international team of…
Read MoreNational Geographic: New Alarm System May Stop Poachers In Their Tracks
New Alarm System May Stop Poachers In Their Tracks A multipronged high-tech system installed in a South African reserve has helped cut the number of poached rhinos to zero. By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED April 27, 2018 When you’ve heard a shot, it’s already too late. In all likelihood the rhino is dead, and the best…
Read MoreNational Geographic: Why Has This Rhino Poaching Trial Been Delayed 17 Times?
As poaching in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province rises, conservationists say more should be done. By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED November 13, 2017 It’s been one delay after another in the case against South African alleged rhino poaching kingpin Dumisani Gwala and his two co-accused. The reported reasons run the gamut—changes in venue, changes in magistrates, changes in defense…
Read MoreThe Revelator: Living on the Edge with Lions – Shivani Bhalla
Ewaso Lions founder Shivani Bhalla aims to help people learn to live with local predators. Wildlife September 5, 2017 – by Laurel Neme As a young girl, Shivani Bhalla — a fourth-generation Kenyan— admired the large lion prides she saw on family safaris. But when she moved to Samburu in the north in 2002, those big…
Read MoreNational Geographic: Poachers Target Rescued Circus Lions in Worrying New Trend
At least 20 captive lions in a single province of South Africa have been killed or attacked by poachers so far this year. By Laurel Neme PUBLISHED October 19, 2017 It was a fairy tale ending when 33 lions rescued from circuses in Peru and Colombia were airlifted to a sanctuary in South Africa in May 2016. Setting foot…
Read MoreMongabay.com: Sudden Death of Juvenile Zoo Elephant Raises Anew Issues of Life in Captivity
by Laurel A. Neme on 4 October 2017 Warren, a young male elephant, died recently during a dental procedure at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo. Warren was one of 18 wild elephants captured from Swaziland 18 months ago and brought to three U.S. zoos in a controversial move. Shortly after Warren’s arrival in March 2016, he lost a…
Read More