National Geographic: Canadian Oil Company Illegally Bulldozes Protected Land in Africa

Farms, water, and endangered wildlife are threatened as ReconAfrica expands its operations despite violations. BY JEFFREY BARBEE AND LAUREL NEME PUBLISHED February 23, 2022 — 13 MIN READ RUNDU, NAMIBIA Once, the only marks on the ground in remote northeastern Namibia were the round, flat footprints of elephants; the cloven-hoofed spoor of giraffes, elands, sable antelopes, and…

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National Geographic: Oil exploration company in Okavango wilderness misled investors, complaint to SEC says

A whistleblower complaint to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission cites “egregious” violations by ReconAfrica and executives. BY LAUREL NEME AND JEFFREY BARBEE PUBLISHED MAY 21, 2021 • 15 MIN READ   ReconAfrica, a Canadian company exploring for oil and gas upstream of one of Africa’s most lush and wildlife-rich habitats, may have fraudulently misled investors…

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National Geographic: Test drilling for oil and gas begins in Namibia’s Okavango region

This month, ReconAfrica’s multimillion-dollar drilling rig pierced a riverbed in elephant habitat some 160 miles from the wildlife-rich Okavango Delta. BY JEFFREY BARBEE AND LAUREL NEME PUBLISHED JANUARY 28, 2021 – National Geographic WALVIS BAY, NAMIBIAThe search for oil and gas in the watershed of the world-famous, wildlife-rich Okavango Delta moved one step closer to reality when a…

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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…

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National 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…

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National 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…

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