Female elephants rumble to say ‘let’s go!’ New study in Namibia shows males do too, a sign of unexpected social bonds

By Caitlin O'Connell-Rodwell, Harvard University In elephant family groups made up of related females and their young, it is clear that the animals produce vocal sounds to coordinate action. This happens when it’s time to leave a waterhole, for example. The matriarch or dominant female steps away from the waterhole and turns to the direction she intends to move in. Then she flaps her ears as she […]

September 23, 2024 46

Namibia

Government culls wildlife for drought support

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism has pledged to cull 723 animals as part of the government's drought relief program. The animals, including 30 hippos, 60 buffaloes, 50 impalas, 100 blue wildebeests, 300 zebras, 83 elephants, and 100 elands, will be sourced from national parks and communal areas with sustainable game populations. Ministry spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda.

August 27, 2024 26

Environment

African elephants address one another with name-like calls − similar to humans

Elephants have close social bonds, which may have led to the evolution of name-like calls. Michael Pardo By Mickey Pardo, Colorado State University What’s in a name? People use unique names to address each other, but we’re one of only a handful of animal species known to do that, including bottlenose dolphins. Finding more animals with names and investigating how they use them can improve scientists’ understanding […]

June 12, 2024 40

Environment

Baobab trees all come from Madagascar – new study reveals that their seeds and seedlings floated to mainland Africa and all the way to Australia

By Andrew R. Leitch, Queen Mary University of London There are eight species of baobab in the world, and they have a surprising distribution. Six are found in Madagascar, an island in the Indian Ocean; one is found on the continent of Africa; and the last is far away in Australia. The origin of this group of plants has fascinated people for a long time. […]

June 7, 2024 25

Africa

Analysis of largest elephant surveys ever shows stable population, but disturbing trends

By Jim Tan via Mongabay New research comparing data from the two largest-ever elephant surveys reveals the overall population in the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area is stable, but also uncovers some concerning local trends. Elephant numbers in Botswana, home to more elephants than any other country, are stable overall, but declining numbers in areas where hunting is permitted, and increasing numbers in protected areas, suggest underlying […]

April 11, 2024 21

Environment

Unusual ancient elephant tracks had our team of fossil experts stumped – how we solved the mystery

Elephants communicate underground by generating seismic waves. Anadolu Agency Charles Helm, Nelson Mandela University Over the past 15 years, through our scientific study of tracks and traces, we have identified more than 350 fossil vertebrate tracksites from South Africa’s Cape south coast. Most are found in cemented sand dunes, called aeolianites, and all are from the Pleistocene Epoch, ranging in age from about 35,000 to 400,000 years. During that time […]

January 16, 2024 18

Uncategorized

Namibian records decrease in rhino poaching: Shifeta

The Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, on Monday said in his end-of-year statement that poaching remains an issue in Namibia, despite the recorded decrease over the year 2023. According to Shifeta, 48 rhinos were poached in 2023 compaered to 92 in the previous year, while eight elephants were poached in 2023, compared to four in 2022. Wildlife conservation continues to face the challenges of poaching, habitat […]

December 19, 2023 10

Elephants