Ten conservation success stories when species came back from the brink
The blue whale, the mountain gorilla and the European bison are among the animals that have avoided extinction, showing what works to preserve the world’s wildlife Life 17 February 2021
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LOOK at how we missed all 20 of the past decade’s biodiversity targets, or shocking graphs of animals threatened with extinction, and it is easy to be disheartened about the fate of the natural world. “There’s lots of doom and gloom stories around about biodiversity,” says Stuart Butchart at the conservation body BirdLife International. “It would be easy to feel conservation was a pointless exercise and there’s nothing we can do to slow the juggernaut down.”
Watching a pro at work
15 Feb 2021
As I said in my last blog,
Entertainment Sumatran-Rhino-Sanctuary style, in September 2019 I spent a few days at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary (SRS) in Way Kambas National Park, Indonesia, with my long-time friend and wildlife photographer, Nick Garbutt.
I blame / credit Nick for my mid-career switch to rhino conservation. After studying History of Art at university and 13 years of working for specialist art booksellers and publishers and finally for Tate, my husband and I did something completely out of character and signed up for a group wildlife trip to Madagascar. Author Jim Crace, whom I met via a freelance fundraising consultancy job, recommended that I read David Quammen’s book,
Inside China’s deadly Rhino horn trade: Corrupt officers, personnel and prosecutors Abbianca Makoni
Inside China’s deadly Rhino horn trade: smugglers caught at airport
Prosecutors, police officers, international airlines and even diplomats in South East Asia have been working with criminal gangs to smuggle millions of pounds worth of endangered Rhino horns through border crossings so they can go on to reach customers in China and Vietnam.
In turn their participation in this already thriving criminal enterprise is strengthening corruption, under-mining governance along the supply chain and weakening security for affected communities.
The annihilation of the Rhino by organised groups is deadly and stealthy but the complicit governments, lax laws and the corporate officers facilitating the trade are worsening the crisis.
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A Malaysian Wildlife official displays seized rhino horns and other animal parts (Getty)
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rosecutors, police officers, international airlines and even diplomats in South East Asia have been working with criminal gangs to smuggle millions of pounds worth of endangered rhino horns through border crossings so they can go on to reach customers in China and Vietnam.
In turn, their participation in this already thriving criminal enterprise is strengthening corruption, under-mining governance along the supply chain and weakening security for affected communities.
The annihilation of the rhino by organised groups is deadly and stealthy but the complicit governments, lax laws and the corporate officers facilitating the trade are worsening the crisis.
Rare rhino celebrates 1st birthday at Lion Country Safari
Published article
LAKE MARY, Fla. - The South Florida attraction Lion County Safari will be celebrating the first birthday this month for a rare southern white rhinoceros.
At birth, Elna weight approximately 100 pounds (45kg). Park officials estimate her current weight to be 1,100 pounds (499kg).
In honor of Elna’s birthday, Lion Country Safari is selling paint print magnets, with proceeds supporting conservation efforts to save rhinos in the wild.
Of the five species of rhinos (white, black, Indian, Sumatran, and Javan), the white rhino is the most abundant, but all five species are in peril due mostly to poaching, according to Lion Country Safari. The southern white rhino is the only species of rhino that eats just grasses; the others also browse on trees and shrubs.