Eco Minute 13:30

BULLETIN 9 May 1:30 pm

Good afternoon, here is your Eco Minute:

# The Kruger National Park is devastated following a mass poisoning that has left 123 vultures dead after feeding on a poisoned elephant carcass, likely laced with agricultural chemicals by poachers. The vultures include critically endangered white-backed, Cape, and lappet-faced vultures. Rescue teams managed to save 84 vultures, now recovering after emergency treatment. SANParks and the Endangered Wildlife Trust has called it one of the worst poisoning events in the park’s history. It also highlights the escalating threat to Africa’s vulture populations.

# A new wildlife preserve has been established in the Eastern Cape to bolster conservation efforts and restore vital habitats for endangered species. The Brad and Alice Andrews Preserve, spanning 682 acres, is strategically located within the Bushman’s River biodiversity corridor at the Tanglewood conservation area. This initiative aims to reconnect fragmented ecosystems, facilitating the movement of black rhinos and elephants across the region.

# And finally: Zambia’s Ministry of Tourism has reaffirmed its commitment to combating wildlife crime through the ongoing Worth More Alive campaign. The campaign has been developed as a response to the rising threat of wildlife trafficking, particularly through the country’s international airports. Efforts under the campaign include establishing a wildlife crime hotline and installing life-size sculptures of endangered species at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka. Zambia’s iconic and endangered wildlife, including elephants, pangolins, rhinos and big cats, are integral to the country’s ecological balance.

Stay tuned for more news………….