South African National Biodiversity Institute
latest news & developments
Illegal wildlife trade, habitat loss and climate stress driving rapid biodiversity decline in SA
Freshwater fish, sharks, rays, endemic plants and iconic mammals are among the country’s fastest-declining species, as invasive species, reduced freshwater flows and pollution…
Sanbi projects help rural women manage the impacts of climate change
Empowering women and girls to be equal players and climate change decision-makers is critical
Poachers, climate change push South Africa’s succulents to the brink
With a 250% increase in plants confiscated from traffickers since 2019, the declines are unprecedented, says South African National Biodiversity Institute
Environmental education is in the syllabus but teaching it is a battle
Institutions and nonprofits have stepped in to provide training, manuals and other support.
Snap a butterfly and Whatsapp it to global census
Butterfly and moth species, which are indicators of change in ecosystems, are declining with some becoming extinct.
Gauteng residents sign up to save succulents
About 200 000 mostly dwarf succulents confiscated from poachers have to be cared for while police continue their investigations
Tiny invasive beetle threatens millions of trees in South Africa
Polyphagous shot hole borer looks set to become most damaging biological invasion in South Africa
Northern Cape farmers battle ‘horrific’ brown locust outbreak
But Agricultural Research Council says outbreak is normal, and only a medium-sized outbreak
Nearly half of South Africa’s Protea species on the brink of extinction
Loss of habitat to agriculture, the spread of invasive species and changes to natural fire cycles are biggest culprits
Dozens of birds and bats perish in extreme heat in KZN
In a single day, temperatures in northern KwaZulu-Natal climbed to a lethal 45°C, causing a mass die-off of birds and bats
‘Forgotten Five’ in need of rescuing
From pangolins to pythons, species are being threatened by poachers for lucrative markets. A Namibian tells of her bid to make a difference
We’re killing off life, but there is hope
Sipho Kings reports on the findings of a mega government report on the state of our plants and animals, and what’s being done to secure their future
R6.5-billion lost to alien invaders
In a world-first, South Africa has quantified the damage done by invasive species. Sipho Kings breaks down the new report
Nearly one in four plants in SA is under threat
South Africa has become the first of the world’s mega-diverse countries to assess fully the status of its entire flora — a staggering 20 456 species.