National Geographic
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…
Read MoreNational Geographic: Oil Company Accused of Drilling in African Wildlife Reserve, Offering Jobs for Silence
Canada-based ReconAfrica appears to have flouted Namibian law, legal experts say. BY JEFFREY BARBEE AND LAUREL NEME PUBLISHED December 13, 2021 — 20 MIN READ RUNDU, NAMIBIA Canadian oil and gas exploration company Reconnaissance Energy Africa has bulldozed land for a test oil well inside a protected wildlife area in northeastern Namibia, and two local…
Read MoreNational Geographic: Members of Congress urge investigation into Okavango oil exploration
National Geographic reporting spurs a bipartisan call for “a thorough and coordinated investigation” by federal agencies. BY LAUREL NEME AND JEFFREY BARBEE PUBLISHED JUNE 23, 2021 8 MIN READ Two members of the United States Congress have sent a plea to the secretary of state, the attorney general, and other top officials urging a “thorough…
Read MoreNational 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…
Read MoreNational Geographic: Oil company exploring in sensitive elephant habitat accused of ignoring community concerns
Namibians allege ReconAfrica disposed of wastewater unsafely, without permits, and ignored concerns about potential impact of oil drilling on water and wildlife. BY JEFFREY BARBEE AND LAUREL NEME PUBLISHED MAY 11, 2021 • 12 MIN READ ReconAfrica, a Canadian company exploring for oil and gas in Namibia upstream of a world-famous UNESCO World Heritage site…
Read MoreNational Geographic: Test drilling for oil in Namibia’s Okavango region poses toxic risk
The petroleum exploration company ReconAfrica doesn’t appear to have taken what experts say is a key step to prevent contamination of groundwater. ANIMALS WILDLIFE WATCH BY JEFFREY BARBEE AND LAUREL NEME PUBLISHED MARCH 12, 2021 – NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC 7 MIN READ The Canadian oil and gas company ReconAfrica began exploratory drilling in Namibia upstream…
Read MoreNational 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…
Read MoreNational 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 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…
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