The WildLife Radio
Raz the Raven Vocalizing at Outreach for Earth Stewardship (OFES)
My favorite sounds at Outreach for Earth Stewardship, where I volunteer, come from Raz the Raven. The variety of his vocalizations is amazing. You can hear for yourself in this recent video:
Read MoreMy NatGeo article on London Summit as turning point
I’m proud of my piece (below) on the London Summit as a possible turning point in the battle against wildlife crime. I’ve been getting great feedback on it, and already it has over 13,000 Facebook shares/likes. Best part is the results of the conference. The final Declaration is stunning in moving the fight against trafficking…
Read MoreThe WildLife: Kevin Bewick, Anti-Poaching Intelligence Group of Southern Africa (APIGSA)
Kevin Bewick, head of the Anti-Poaching Intelligence Group of Southern Africa (APIGSA), provides his perspective on the fight against wildlife crime. His group undertakes investigations and focuses on intelligence gathering and research into wildlife poaching and trafficking.
Read MoreElephant musings and articles
Elephants are getting more and more attention. From Obama’s call for action to Hillary Clinton today announcing her focus on them. The more I learn about these fascinating creatures, the more I want to know. But I admit that the more I know, the more disheartened I am by the poaching crisis currently going on.…
Read MorePoaching incident and rapid response in Botswana
You know it’s bad when….I find it extremely hard to believe that poaching has extended to Botswana, where I spent almost a couple years doing my dissertation research. During the week of May 17th, 5 elephants were found killed with trunks and tusks cut off (likely with a power saw). They were ambushed on a…
Read MoreThe WildLife: CITES CoP16 Outcomes, CITES Secretary-General John Scanlon
John Scanlon, Secretary-General of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), provides his perspective on the major outcomes of CITES 16th Conference of Parties, which was held in Bangkok, Thailand from March 3-14, 2013. The conversation covers overarching issues, such as enforcement, financing and political engagement, as well as species-specific items, including timber,…
Read MoreFilming of Mad Max sequel wreaks havoc on Namibia’s desert ecosystem
The Namib desert is a remarkable but fragile ecosystem, containing many endemic species. One of these is the desert plant Welwitschia mirabilis, one of the longest lived organisms on the planet,with a lifespan of 500 to 1500 years. In 2012, areas of the Dorob and Namib Naukluft National Parks were utilized as…
Read MoreIt’s been a busy 2013 for Kenya Wildlife Service
On March 26, a Chinese man (Tian Yi) admitted smuggling 439 pieces of ivory from Democratic Republic of Congo to Hong Kong via Nairobi. He was caught at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on March 10, 2013 while in transit from DRC to Hong Kong. According to the Kenya Wildlife Service, the contraband…
Read MoreAnother paltry fine for ivory smuggling
On March 26, a Chinese man (Tian Yi) admitted smuggling 439 pieces of ivory from Democratic Republic of Congo to Hong Kong via Nairobi. He was caught at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on March 10, 2013 while in transit from DRC to Hong Kong. According to the Kenya Wildlife Service, the contraband…
Read MoreThe WildLife: Polar Bears, Global Warming and CITES Decision, Dr. Steven Amstrup
Dr. Steven Amstrup has been studying polar bears and their habitat since 1980, and much of what we know about them, and even how scientists study them, comes from his work. For instance, he was the first person to apply radio telemetry to the study of polar bears, which allowed scientists to understand the…
Read MoreThailand’s Prime Minister Pledges to End Ivory Trade
Great news! Thailand’s Prime Minister pledged to end ivory trade in Thailand. The announcement was made at CITES COP16 which opened today, Sunday. This follows a massive petition drive urging and ivory ban. Thailand is currently the largest illegal ivory market behind China. However, work still needs to be done to monitor the situation. The…
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