The conservation symposium hosted by the KZN Ezemvelo Wildlife and partners was held at Wild Coast Sun. It was an informative event comprising of 23 sessions addressing the theme of Biodiversity Economy. Attending the conference as a young aspiring scientist was an awesomely wonderful experience. Being in a room full of conservation practitioners, scientists and…
Physiological changes in lions, induced by immobilisation, can negatively impact animals despite immobilisations appearing to be harmless on the surface. Of three drug combinations tested, ketamine-butorphanol-medetomidine emerged as preferable due to shorter recovery times Safe and reliable immobilisation of wildlife is an important tool for conservation around the world. Understanding clinical and physiological effects of…
What started off as a typical day ended on an eventful note after the Tsitsikamma management team received news that resulted in an unusual rescue operation. While accustomed to dealing with emergencies, this was no ordinary call, and it left everyone with a sense of disbelief. Kayakers reported a leopard perched precariously on a rock…
An illegally captured pangolin was recovered, and once treated for lesions, dehydration and starvation, became part of a successful rehabilitation process, and is once again back in its former home, Kruger National Park Pangolins are currently one of the most trafficked species in the world due to their popularity as delicacy and medicine in the…
The Maluti-Drakensberg mountains of the 33 000 ha expanse of Golden Gate Highlands National Park are majestic. The towering peaks enfolded by clouds are both ominous and mesmerising. As a team assembled from Kruger and Kimberley, the rain fell gently, and the grey clouds held no promise of lifting. Here four seasons can be experienced…
iNaturalist began as a Master’s project at UC Berkeley’s School of Information in 2008. It is a citizen science biodiversity platform that connects naturalists to researchers and other naturalists from around the world. It allows people from all walks of life to contribute directly to science by taking pictures of fauna and flora around them…
Martial eagles are declining both inside and outside protected areas. However, the drivers behind these declines are unclear. In Kruger National Park, recent research provided invaluable insights into the diet and feeding behaviour of breeding martial eagles The martial eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus) is the largest eagle in Africa, occurring in savannas and woodlands. Lower reporting…
Crowned eagles are a species of special concern because limited available habitat and slow reproductive rates make them sensitive to risks. Nevertheless, monitoring has shown that this species is reproducing successfully in the Garden Route African crowned eagles, also known as the leopard of the sky, are large birds of prey found only in Africa…
A PROCESS OF PRIORITISING THE MONITORING OF SPECIES OF SPECIAL CONCERN IN KRUGER NATIONAL PARK IS CONTRIBUTING TO MUCH BETTER DISTRIBUTION DATA FOR SPECIES In a park with thousands of plant species, and hundreds of animal species, how do you decide which ones to monitor? SANParks scientists have been thinking about this for a while….
ALIEN ORNAMENTAL PLANTS HAVE BEEN MANAGED IN KRUGER FOR TWO DECADES. A SURVEY IN 2020 AIMED TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE PROGRAMME WAS ACHIEVING ITS GOALS, WITH MIXED RESULTS. WHILE SOME MANAGEMENT INTERVENTIONS HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL, OTHER SITUATIONS HAVE WORSENED Globally, the introduction of alien ornamental (“garden”) plants is known to be an important pathway of…
THE IMPACT OF INCREASING NUMBERS OF PIED CROWS ON BIODIVERSITY AND WHAT ROLE THEY WILL PLAY IN NEWLY INHABITED ECOSYSTEMS IS UNKNOWN. IT IS CRITICAL FOR THIS KNOWLEDGE GAP TO BE FILLED BEFORE IMPULSIVE ACTIONS ARE TAKEN The indigenous pied crow (Corvus albus) with its bold black-and-white plumage is commonly seen in South Africa. Research…
REDCLAW CRAYFISH IS A HARMFUL INVADER OF FRESHWATER SYSTEMS, AND IT HAS BEEN NEWLY RECORDED IN THE CROCODILE RIVER IN THE KRUGER NATIONAL PARK The Redclaw crayfish is native to Northern Australia and Papua New Guinea but has been introduced around the world for aquaculture and the aquarium trade. Continental Africa has no native freshwater…