Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian
habitat destructionlatest news & developments
In March, Hera was one of two individuals tagged with tiny, solar-powered satellite trackers through BirdLife South Africa’s European roller monitoring project. (BirdLife SA)
AFRO PALEARCTIC MIGRANT

Hera the European roller’s epic migration uncovers new flight paths for bird conservation

Tagged by BirdLife SA, Hera completed a 10 000 km journey from Limpopo to her breeding ground in Uzbekistan

  • Sheree Bega
5 min read
The Cape parrot is an endangered species largely because of human activity such as logging the forests where they are found. (Wild Bird Trust)
BIRDLIFE

Meet the 2023 Bird of the Year

The Cape parrot is an endangered species largely because of human activity such as logging the forests where they are found

  • Gemma Gatticchi
2 min read
For islands to qualify as suitable for penguins, they needed to offer protection from land-based predators and had to be surrounded by suitable foraging grounds for sardine and anchovy within a 20km radius. Supplied
AFRICAN PENGUINS

African penguin population decline began 20 000 years ago – study

Rising sea levels since the last Ice Age forced them to ‘island hop’ or move to the mainland, which presents an opportunity for their surviva

  • Sheree Bega
5 min read
Nigel Fernsby holds up a bat at the University of Pretoria’s Groenkloof campus in Pretoria, South Africa. (Photo by Gallo Images / Foto24 / Lisa Hnatowicz)
AGRICULTURE

Zoonotic viruses: Protect bats to protect people

Bats are potential carriers of zoonotic viruses and the destruction of their environment spells danger for humans.

  • Sheree Bega
3 min read
Balance: Elephants are found in 37 African countries, including Kenya. But the herds and their habitats are threatened and people remain divided over how to protect them. (Goran Tomasevic/Reuters)
AFRICAN ELEPHANT SPECIALIST GROUP

Poaching is wiping out Africa’s elephants

Forest elephants are on the brink of extinction and savanna elephants are now classified as endangered

  • Sheree Bega
5 min read
BATELEURS

Africa’s iconic raptors are soaring into oblivion

Secretary birds, martial eagles and bateleurs are now listed as globally endangered

  • Sheree Bega
3 min read