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A new study co-authored by a University of Pretoria conservation scientist argues that widely cited claims of catastrophic global wildlife decline may overstate biodiversity loss in Africa

University of Pretoria study challenges ‘70% wildlife decline’ narrative

A new study co-authored by a University of Pretoria conservation scientist argues that widely cited claims of catastrophic global wildlife decline may overstate biodiversity loss…

Cape honey bees the guardians of South Africa’s food security

Honey bees are invaluable to the environment and the economy, and their protection is essential

Africa’s ecosystems now run on less than two-thirds of their historical energy, with the decline of elephants, lions, and rhinos reshaping landscapes and livelihoods

Wildlife populations plummet 73% in past 50 years

South Africa has ambitious plans to protect biodiversity This content is restricted to registered users and subscribers. Get Your Free Account The Mail & Guardian is committed to…

Photo by Julian Hahne

Meet the real rhino whisperers protecting black rhinos in KwaZulu-Natal

The WWF’s Black Rhino Range Expansion Project has established 17 new populations

Plastic and other pollution along the Hennops River.  Photo by Delwyn Verasamy

South Africans agree with global consensus that single-use plastics should be banned

Nearly nine in 10 local survey participants believe global rules require a ban on unnecessary single-use plastic products most likely to become pollution

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has reluctantly decided to dehorn its rhinos after KwaZulu-Natal lost 325 rhinos since 2023, the majority of them to poaching.

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife resorts to dehorning rhinos to limit poaching

Most of the 325 rhinos that died in KwaZulu-Natal were a result of poaching the animals for their horns

How environmental conservation is being inspired among Matatiele youth

Environmental and Rural Solutions (ERS) has been making a profound impact for the past 21 years

Consumers are choosing to buy sustainably sourced fish

Retailers and suppliers are heeding the call for sustainable seafood products

Guided by a greater purpose

As consumers are increasingly drawn to brands that are not just focused on profit, Vodacom ramps up its commitment to young people, planet and possibility

South Africa ranks 20th globally for the most endangered species

With 16 000 species worldwide already facing extinction, the number of species that are endangered is increasing

The planet is becoming increasingly hostile for wildlife, with new research indicating a 69% decline in populations worldwide.

Living Planet Index: Wildlife populations have declined by 69% since 1970

The index warns that if the world breaches the 1.5°C global warming threshold, the climate crises will be the prevalent reason for biodiversity loss

Rhino poaching and illegal horn trade declining in Africa and Asia

Despite the decline in rhino poaching, there are critical threats to the survival of these iconic animals

A woman pushes a sack containing recycled plastic bottles past an area where plastic waste is being used to reclaim a swamp so that the land can be developed for housing in the Mosafejo area of Lagos on February 12, 2019. – Nigeria, which elects a new president on February 16, is Africa’s most populous nation and leading oil producer but is dogged by poverty and insecurity. (Yasuyoshi CHIBA / AFP)

Africa needs to beat plastic pollution, says WWF

The focus on waste, which is the end of the plastic life cycle, means that the root causes of plastic pollution are not addressed

Denuded: The Amazonia rainforest in Brazil. The Amazon Basin absorbs large amounts of CO2 emissions. Photo: Mauro Pimentel/AFP/Getty Images

Reforestation boosts planet’s green lungs

A new study shows the past 20 years of forest regeneration and reforestation efforts globally have contributed to the restoration of carbon sinks

Healthy outlook: The grasslands, soils and wetlands in the Matatiele area are being restored, helping to protect the Maloti-Drakensberg watershed, essential to South Africa’s water supply and with profitable spinoffs for communal livestock farmers. (Willeen Olivier)

Project to heal the land a success

A partnership with chiefs, NGOs and businesses is helping Matatiele’s small-scale farmers adopt conservation practices and so turn a profit

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South Africa’s freshwater fish face extinction

A third of our freshwater fish are dying out due to climate change and invasive species.

Sixteen southern white rhinos have been moved from &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal to Garamba National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
(Photo by Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Kruger loses 70% of rhinos in 10 years

The good news is that the drought has eased, poaching is down and the environment department is now not only focusing on the poachers but is going after crime syndicates

S20 warns that climate change is endangering human health, food systems and ecosystems worldwide

The corporatisation of food in South Africa

We can only end hunger when people have control over what they eat and how that food is produced

(Paul Botes/M&G)

Ghost fishing gear an ‘immortal menace’ in oceans

Lost and illegal tackle is threatening marine life and the lives of people making a living from the sea

The minimum lifetime cost to South Africa of the plastic produced in 2019 is a staggering R885,34-billion. (Raneen Sawafta/Reuters)

Malaysia to ship back hundreds of tonnes of plastic waste

Plastic imports to Malaysia have tripled since 2016, to 870 000 tonnes last year, official data showed