Today’s Bats Without Borders Webinar speakers are Dr Christian Voigt and Dr Tanja Straka who will be holding the first ever discussion on Bats and Wind Energy – lessons from Europe.
To join in, register on the Bats Without Borders website – www.batswithoutborders.org where you can also listen again to their all of their webinar talks.
Read more
Lions are a keystone species. They play an important role in balancing ecosystems. At the top of the food chain, the king of the jungle controls herd and smaller carnivore populations. Lions mostly prey on herd animals thereby helping control herbivore populations in the ecosystem. They also weed out the weakest animals in herds and this helps keep the herds strong and disease free. Ecosystems without big carnivores such as lions leave room for smaller carnivores, like baboons, to thrive and this in many cases has resulted in several human wildlife conflicts due to the mischievous nature of such animals.
Lions are currently under threat and classified as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with some sub populations thought to be critically endangered. As with most wildlife problems, the increase in human population is at the top of the list of threats to the lion species. Human settlements have encroached in areas that were once lion territory. Poaching is also a growing threat to lions everywhere. In 2014, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service director Dan Ashe warned that lions may become extinct in the wild by 2050 if nothing is done to protect them.
10th August is World Lion Day aimed at spreading awareness about the threats to lions.
Why not join movements and lend a helping hand to groups or organizations working to save lions and their habitats such as our local Zambian Carnivore Program and Wildlife Crime Prevention or the international charity Panthera.
Lastly, you can appreciate lions in their natural habitat by going on safari and visiting our National Parks with breathtaking Lion sightings such as;
Have you thought about gaining new knowledge about nature, wildlife and our environment? There are a huge range of free courses currently being offered online. One of our favourites is Open Learn, run by the Open University. They offer a wide range of courses, from Certificates of Higher Education, to Degrees and Postgraduate Diplomas.
Their full range hosts over 900 free courses which includes topics on Education & Development, Science Maths & Technology and Money & Business.
If you are interested in finding out more about Wildlife and Environmental issues, then they also have over 90 different Nature and Environment free online short courses easily accessible through their website. These courses range from introductory to advanced levels, some just taking a few hours to complete. Subjects include studying mammals, understanding the environment, water, energy and global biodiversity.
Another of our favourites is Future Learn which again runs a whole range of science, business and creative online courses, including 59 different courses on Nature and the Environmental. These are provided by universities and colleges from around the world and have set starting dates. Once signed onto a free course, students are encouraged to interact and participate in online activities, enabling you to virtually meet like minded people from around the world.
Participating in short courses enables you to improve your study skills, increase your knowledge and boost your employability skills.
If you are currently studying you might find a short course which will assist you with reference material to help you fully explore your academic subject.
Both Open Learn and Future Learn are free for everyone to join and participate in, so why not get online and learning something new today?
Read more
The Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism are still investigating what caused the deaths of up to 356 elephants in the Seronga area of Botswana.
Poaching and anthrax have been ruled out as causes, and from the test results so far, it is thought that the elephants probably succumbed to natural toxins as the most likely cause. The results are not yet fully conclusive with tests still being processed in laboratories in South Africa, Canada, Zimbabwe and the United States.
“While there has not been any indication of fresh carcasses or signs that the mortality has spread beyond the initial area of concern, the district team on the ground will continue to monitor the situation, remove ivory from carcasses and take them to safe custody as well as destroy carcasses that are close to the villages and human settlements” – said the Acting Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, Oduetse Koboto.
Ongoing investigations include an aerial survey and ground patrols which so far have not reported any further deaths in the area. The Ministry is working with CARACAL who are sample testing, processing and shipping the tests, along with Eco Exist who are collaboratively undertaking an aerial survey of the affected area.
Botswana has the world’s highest population of elephants. Elephant mortalities have been reported previously in the Country, but not on this scale. The last fatalities were caused by a natural anthrax outbreak in 2004. So far 281 carcasses have been verified, against an estimated population of between 16,000 to 18,000 elephants in the area.
Read more
Friday 31st July was celebrated worldwide as World Ranger Day. Every year this day is set aside to recognise and celebrate the extraordinary work of the men and women at the front line of wildlife conservation. It is also commemorated to remember those who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
In the past four years Zambia has noted two accomplished wildlife police officers who have received international recognition for their work in protecting wildlife. To commemorate World Ranger Day this year, they gave advice to fellow officers.
Mr Solomon Chidunuka was the first Zambian to be awarded the Tusk Ranger Award. He is the Senior Warden for Muchinga Province and has worked in conservation for 31 years since joining the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) in 1989. Some of the areas Mr Chidunuka has worked in include Zambia’s biggest national park – Kafue National Park and,the Lower Zambezi National Park. Mr Chidunuka has greatly influenced change in both these areas.
He encourages fellow wildlife officers to practice discipline, be hard working and be committed to their work because this is important for the present and the future generations to enjoy the benefits of wildlife.
Another internationally recognized conservation hero in Zambia is Mr Benson Kanyembo who was also awarded the Tusk Wildlife award in 2019. Mr Kanyembo’s journey in conservation started in 1994 when he joined the North Luangwa Conservation Project. Three years later he moved to the DNPW. In 2003 he worked on Zambia’s first Rhino Protection Unit (RPU) and he now holds the position of Law Enforcement Adviser for Conservation South Luangwa (CSL) in Mfuwe.
Mr Kanyembo’s message for this year’s World Ranger Day is to remain committed to the task of protecting wildlife despite the hardships and limitations that may come up.
Our Wildlife Officers have a critical role to play in conservation. These women and men risk their lives everyday combating wildlife crime to ensure our protected areas are sustained and remain protected. We celebrated this year’s World Ranger Day by appreciating their huge contribution to Zambia’s wildlife conservation.
Read more