In December 2022, governments from around the world adopted one of the most ambitious international agreements ever developed for the protection of nature. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework established 23 targets to be achieved by 2030, addressing everything from habitat…
Elephants are among the most socially complex mammals on Earth. Their family groups maintain long-term relationships, recognise familiar individuals and coordinate their movements across vast landscapes. Communication is central to this social organisation, and much of it takes place through…
When illegal hunting declines, what has actually caused people to change their behaviour? Is it the presence of wildlife rangers, the risk of arrest and the possibility of punishment? Or does conservation become more effective when local communities see tangible…
African wild dogs are among Africa's most social carnivores. They hunt together, raise pups cooperatively and depend heavily on other members of their pack. Yet at a certain point in their lives, many young wild dogs do something that appears…
Elephants spend much of their lives feeding, encountering thousands of different plants across decades of movement through their environment. They learn where food and water can be found, how those resources change with the seasons, and which parts of different…
Conservation has always depended on information. Where are animals moving? How many remain? Where is poaching occurring? Which habitats are being lost? Are populations recovering or declining? Answering these questions allows conservationists to decide where limited resources can have the…
From lions capable of bringing down prey several times their own weight to small wildcats hunting rodents through the scrub, the Tsavo Conservation Area supports a remarkable diversity of felines. At least six wild cat species occur within the wider…
In dry African ecosystems, access to water can determine where animals move, feed and survive. During severe droughts, when seasonal rivers and pans disappear, permanent water sources can become particularly important for wildlife. Providing additional water can therefore appear to…
Giraffes are among Africa’s most recognisable animals and have been the subject of scientific research for decades. Yet despite this familiarity, significant gaps remain in our understanding of their ecology, physiology, genetics and population dynamics. A recent review published in…
Translocation has become one of the most important tools in black rhino conservation. Moving individual rhinos between protected areas can establish new populations, relieve pressure on crowded reserves and introduce genetic diversity into isolated populations. But physically moving rhinos is…