wildlife - The African Mirror

Jan

2024

Mozambique’s cyclone flooding was devastating to animals – we studied how body size affected survival

ANYONE who watches the news will have seen the devastation that tropical cyclones can cause when they reach land, with very strong winds, high rainfall and flooding. A cyclone like this, Idai, moved over Gorongosa National Park in central Mozambique in March 2019. At that time, it was the deadliest storm in Africa. JASON P. MARSHAL, Associate Professor of Ecology, University of the Witwatersrand FRANCESCA PARRINI, Associate Professor in Animal Ecology, University of the Witwatersrand Rainfall at Gorongosa averages about 850mm per year. When Idai passed over, more than 200mm of rain fell in less than 24 hours. Over the…

Dec

2022

By The African Mirror

Wildlife in concrete jungles: These two African cities are home to a thriving wildlife population

AFRICITIES

LUCY GITHUGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY KENYA, the most famous country in Eastern Africa, was named the world’s leading Safari destination for 2021 by the World Travel Awards for the seventh year in a row. With over 50 national parks and game reserves, the country’s vast wildlife preserves have remained a competitive destination among domestic and international tourists. Unbeknownst to many, two of Kenya's cities, Nakuru and Nairobi, offer a unique package in the nation's Safari tourism package. Both cities have national parks sitting right on their doorsteps. Nairobi National Park is the only national park in the world located within…

May

2021

By The African Mirror

Nature funding must triple by 2030 to protect land, wildlife and climate

ENVIRONMENT

MICHAEL TAYLOR GLOBAL annual spending to protect and restore nature needs to triple this decade to about $350 billion by 2030 and rise to $536 billion by 2050, a U.N. report has said, urging a shift in mindset among financiers, businesses and governments. The inaugural State of Finance for Nature report looked at how to tackle the planet's climate, biodiversity and land degradation crises, estimating about $8 trillion in investment is needed by mid-century to safeguard natural systems. Report co-author Ivo Mulder, who heads the climate finance unit at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), said financial flows should work…

May

2021

By The African Mirror

Kenya starts its first national wildlife census

NEWS

KENYA began its first national wildlife census on Friday, aiming to aid conservation and identify threats to its vast but threatened wildlife populations. The census will run until July, with rangers, researchers and community members counting animals on land and from helicopters. It will focus on counting rare species such as the pangolin, which has been identified as a potential intermediary species for COVID-19, and the Sable antelope, of which fewer than 100 remain in Kenya. Expanding human settlements, a changing climate that makes resources scarcer, and poaching have contributed to declines in wildlife populations. Giraffe populations in Kenya have…