#poachers in South Africa

[filosofablogger]

Good People Doing Good Things – For Mother Earth

I only rarely reprise ‘good people’ posts, for there are so many good people out there doing good things that I never run out of material, but every now and then, for one reason or another, I do reprise one, as I am doing today.  A couple of reasons — one, I’m feeling just a bit overwhelmed at present, which I think most of you can relate to, and inspiration just wasn’t happening.  But perhaps…

[lost-lycaon]

Taken on the road from Tzaneen Country Lodge toward Phalaborwa. Considering that poachers are armed with AKs and rocket propelled grenades (to kill elephants), they absolutely mean it.

[djlechat]

[rightscoop]

South Africa's succulent plants threatened by poachers in the Karoo

Thuthuka Zondi/BBC A biodiversity hotspot in a remote part of South Africa has become the center of an illegal trade in protected plant species, with organized crime groups capitalizing on foreign demand. “Not only have they stolen our land or our plants, they have also stolen our heritage,” an angry rancher tells the BBC, expressing her dismay at the social and ecological crisis that poaching…

[blogmillymills]

In safari in South Africa. Newmarket Holidays 5.

[reasonsforhope]

The Kenya Wildlife Service celebrated the successful transfer of 21 eastern black rhinos to establish a new viable breeding population for the species that was on the brink of extinction decades ago.

In an 18-day exercise executed by highly trained capture and veterinary experts, the Loisaba Conservancy received the 21 rhinos from three different locations, becoming the 17th sanctuary in Kenya where the mammoth animals can roam and intermingle.

“It’s incredibly exciting to be part of the resettlement of rhinos to a landscape where they’ve been absent for 50 years,” said Tom Silvester, CEO of Loisaba Conservancy.

Kenya had 20,000 black rhinos in the 1970s before poachers decimated them for their horns. By the time the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) was established in 1989, rhino numbers had declined to below 400.

Since then, Kenya’s eastern black rhinos have made a remarkable comeback and today there are an estimated 1,004 individuals.

Kenya is a stronghold of the eastern sub species of black rhino, hosting approximately 80 percent of the entire world’s surviving population.

“Surpassing the milestone of 1,000 rhinos within four decades is a significant accomplishment,” said Munira Bashir, Director of The Nature Conservancy in Kenya.

The reintroduction this month of these 21 animals this month is a great milestone in Kenya’s rhino recovery action plan, and was made possible by support from The Nature Conservancy, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, other partners—and the three reserves from where the 21 rhinos originated, Nairobi National Park, Ol Pejeta Conservancy and Lewa Conservancy.

“In the recent past, one of the main causes of mortality of rhinos has been territorial fights due to limited space in sanctuaries which has also led to suppressed growth rates due,” explained Dr. Erustus Kanga, the Director General of Kenya Wildlife Service. “I am elated to be associated with this momentous effort to secure more space for this cornerstone species.”

Meanwhile, southern white rhinos continue to thrive in Kenya, having increased from 50 individuals that were imported from South Africa in the eighties and nineties to reach the current population of 971 individuals.

Kenya is also playing a critical role in efforts to save the northern white rhino from extinction, as it is host to the only remaining two females of the species left in the world. The international BioRescue project has developed thirty embryos awaiting implantation into surrogate females within the closely-related subspecies of southern white rhino.

“The return of black rhinos to Loisaba, 50 years after the last known individual here was killed by poachers in the 1970s, is a demonstration of how impactful partnerships between governments and conservation NGOs can be for restoring, managing, and protecting our natural world,” said Dr. Max Graham, CEO and Founder of Space for Giants, one of the project partners.

“And, of course, the return of black rhinos here gives all of us one of the most precious commodities of all: hope.”

-via Good News Network, February 25, 2024

[nondisclosure-agreement]

the army special forces guy told me that the Belarusian was lying to me about everything and more than likely was part of a crime organization and that he probably entered here illegally as well since he went through Mexico. he’s like im going to keep you safe don’t worry. he also used to kill poachers in South Africa after his final deployment and they made a documentary on YouTube about it ⭐️

[animalsalvationassociation]

Passing the Torch . . .

[ DO NOT REPOST, ALL ART & CONCEPTS WERE MADE BY ME ]

“Wonderful news tonight as the organization known only as the Animal Salvation Association, a group of individuals set to bring peace to the world through their environmental and political efforts, finally passes on the torch to a new generation of Ocean Explorers.”

“It has been several years since the accident occurred taking the life of Professor and Captain, Samara Jade Kelp, the leader of the infamous Octonauts crew. A team known as the ‘Saviors of the Ocean’. Today we see history as Captain Samara’s legacy is finally laid to rest and a new captain takes the helm of this mighty crew.”

“Her husband, Professor Marin Kelp and head of the A.S.A. says this . . .”

“Mara would’ve wanted this I’m sure, she always had a heart of gold! A good reason why I married her – ahem. In any case, I congratulate Captain Barnacles on his new role, I think she would’ve felt honored that he was carrying on her memory! He’s a strong one he is and the men and women he’s called to his crew will no doubt be just the same. That being said, we at the A.S.A. made sure to bring in someone we trust! After all most of planet is covered in water, might as well have someone taking care of it!”

“In other news, new waves of gang violence have been picking up along the east coast. As with many others gathering around the lower parts of Africa and South America, just around the center of the Amazonian River. Officials say that they’ve never seen activity quite like this before. Many key witnesses around each of the affected areas have claimed the existence and affects of poachers. But if there’s anything to go off of there seems to always be some valiant soul ready and willing to stop them.”

“Speaking of, Friday night a press conference is set to be held with world leaders over this issue, and the very organization we just covered is invited to join in. That’s right, the A.S.A. has finally caught their attention and at the end of the week there are rumors of an alliance being made between the UN and the A.S.A. So be sure to tune in Friday, Eastern Time, to see it live. Now back to the weather . . . ”

Illustration Time: 10hrs 12min

[ This is a Octonauts AU, in no way is this canon to the OG storyline. ]

(GUYS I GOT A JOB!!! ALSO I JUST GOT HERE AND THE BOOP-MAGEDDON IS ALREADY OVER???? NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! WHY CRUEL WORLD!!!!)

Ya’ll BTW are you guys kidding me??? 60+ followers???? That’s INSANE ty all sm!!! You have no idea how happy that makes me!!!

[flames-unicorns-and-sentryguns]

Blu Sniper headcannons

the last of the first Blu stand alone headcannons. There's going to be more team centric and dynamic headcannons afterwards.

The middle of five kids, grew up in South Africa instead of Australia.( Yes I'm going for that one joke In mean girls) Spent a lot of time outside to get space for himself. Likes climbing rooftops and other high places because it's quiet and god damn he can be left alone.

He doesn't hate his siblings or his family, he just needs to get Away. Likes animals and looking at landscapes. Clouds are some of his favorites especially.

In another life he would have loved photography. Or painting.

Initially took up sniping to help deal with poachers. If he's gotta take someone out someone out. If it's for a good cause he doesn't mind killing a few guys. ( After he came back to South Africa)

His family might not know about the killing people bit.

His family moved around a lot growing up and spent time in Australia for a couple of years. Picked up the accent and the slang. Is actually really good at mimicking a fair deal of accents himself. I like to think he chooses to do the Australian one in game because Red Sniper is Australian.

Likes to try and match accents with spy in a sort of who can do accents better bit between them. Likes to gossip with spy about the things he's seen from up above.

Is good at recognizing people by their footsteps and other ..kinda background noises they do due to the whole big family thing.

Doesn't really dislike anyone but doesn't really have a favorite either. Will engage in friendly conversations.

Finds himself holed up with the medic once In a while especially when they go off base.

Medic because he needs to get Away/ wants a break and Sniper because he just wants to Go somewhere and look around. See something living.

They both fell in love with a stray cat on one trip to town and adopted it together.

[evansbby]

Choose! Wildlife biologist and conservationist Ari who lives on and helps manage a game reserve in South Africa (speaks swahili fluently, reckless, has been in multiple fire fights with poachers) or eccentric sex guru Ari who lives on a tropical island and has a harem (can make you squirt with his hands tied behind his back, but believes in free love and has never had a monogamous relationship)

The Wildlife biologist Ari bc he seems like a cutie. The sex guru Ari would be fucking 28288228 girls at the same time as me and I cannot stand that. Plus I love wildlife and animals so I’d have fun in that environment with my man 😏😏

[lost-lycaon]

Mass poisoning of African Painted Dogs in the Waterberg

Below is the press article regarding the attack on the free roaming Waterberg Wild Dog pack, where the property owner poisoned a carcass killed by the pack, and when the pack returned, six of them ate the poisoned meat, and died in agony.

The property is Mountain View Bush Lodge, address Grootfontein 589 LQ, Waterberg. Combination game farm and tourist lodge. The owner promptly took down the website as this was made public.

The lodge is still on Lekkeslaap tourism site. https://www.lekkeslaap.co.za/accommodation/mountain-view-bush-lodge

Here is a statement by the conservation group who discovered the crime:

We have devastating news to share from the African wild dog population in the Waterberg. The TOOG Pack has been persecuted, and six members of the pack have been lost to poisoning. The dogs were found dead last week on a private game farm along the R33, south of Lephalale.

Poison is a horrific way to die, and the dogs felt immense pain before ultimately succumbing to the poison. Poisoning carnivores is illegal in South Africa. It is indiscriminate, unethical, and would have been traumatic for the dogs to experience.

This senseless and selfish act has undermined the efforts of the 55 private farms that have played a role in conserving this pack over the last 3.5 years. This is a devastating loss for the pack, for South Africa's remaining free-roaming African wild dog population, for the Waterberg's biodiversity, for our team, for the community, and for our future generations.

This is an active investigation underneath LEDET Green Scorpions and the SAPS Endangered Species Unit. African wild dogs are protected on the same level as rhinos, and persecuting them is a criminal act.

The Waterberg Wild Dog Initiative is offering a reward for information relating to this crime which results in a successful prosecution. Contact Detective Warrant Officer Cois van Deventer from the South African Police Service – Endangered Species Unit at +27 82 872 1741.

Funds are needed to support the investigation, seek justice for the lost pack members, and safeguard the survivors. Funds may be donated to the TOOG Pack Disaster Fund via Electronic Fund Transfer to:

Waterberg Wild Dogs

First National Bank

Account Number: 62915978227

Branch Code: 210554

Type: Gold Business Account

SWIFT: FIRNZAJJ

Reference: TOOG Disaster

or by Credit Card on our Yoco platform: https://pay.yoco.com/waterberg-wild-dog-initiative1

Please keep our team members in your thoughts. The horrific scene we have witnessed over the last week has been traumatic.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 9.6 (after 1940)

1943 – The Monterrey Institute of Technology is founded in Monterrey, Mexico as one of the largest and most influential private universities in Latin America. 1943 – Pennsylvania Railroad's premier train derails at Frankford Junction in Philadelphia, killing 79 people and injuring 117 others. 1944 – World War II: The city of Ypres, Belgium is liberated by Allied forces. 1944 – World War II: Soviet forces capture the city of Tartu, Estonia. 1946 – United States Secretary of State James F. Byrnes announces that the U.S. will follow a policy of economic reconstruction in postwar Germany. 1952 – A prototype aircraft crashes at the Farnborough Airshow in Hampshire, England, killing 29 spectators and the two on board. 1955 – Istanbul's Greek, Jewish, and Armenian minorities are the target of a government-sponsored pogrom; dozens are killed in ensuing riots. 1962 – The United States government begins the Exercise Spade Fork nuclear readiness drill. 1962 – Archaeologist Peter Marsden discovers the first of the Blackfriars Ships dating back to the second century AD in the Blackfriars area of the banks of the River Thames in London. 1965 – India retaliates following Pakistan's Operation Grand Slam which results in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 that ends in a stalemate followed by the signing of the Tashkent Declaration. 1966 – Prime Minister Hendrik Verwoerd, the architect of apartheid, is stabbed to death in Cape Town, South Africa during a parliamentary meeting. 1968 – Swaziland becomes independent. 1970 – Two passenger jets bound from Europe to New York are simultaneously hijacked by Palestinian terrorist members of the PFLP and taken to Dawson's Field, Jordan. 1971 – Paninternational Flight 112 crashes on the Bundesautobahn 7 highway near Hamburg Airport, in Hamburg, Germany, killing 22. 1972 – Munich massacre: Nine Israeli athletes die (along with a German policeman) at the hands of the Palestinian "Black September" terrorist group after being taken hostage at the Munich Olympic Games. Two other Israeli athletes were slain in the initial attack the previous day. 1976 – Cold War: Soviet Air Defence Forces pilot Viktor Belenko lands a Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-25 jet fighter at Hakodate in Japan and requests political asylum in the United States; his request is granted. 1983 – The Soviet Union admits to shooting down Korean Air Lines Flight 007, stating that its operatives did not know that it was a civilian aircraft when it reportedly violated Soviet airspace. 1985 – Midwest Express Airlines Flight 105 crashes near Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, killing all 31 people on board. 1991 – The Soviet Union recognizes the independence of the Baltic states Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. 1991 – The Russian parliament approves the name change of Leningrad back to Saint Petersburg. The change is effective October 1. 1995 – Cal Ripken Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles plays in his 2,131st consecutive game, breaking a record that had stood for 56 years. 1997 – The Funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales takes place in London. Well over a million people lined the streets and 21⁄2 billion watched around the world on television. 2003 – Mahmoud Abbas resigns from his position of Palestinian Prime Minister. 2007 – Israel executes the air strike Operation Orchard to destroy a nuclear reactor in Syria. 2013 – Forty-one elephants are poisoned with cyanide in salt pans, by poachers in Hwange National Park. 2018 – Supreme Court of India decriminalised all consensual sex among adults in private, making homosexuality legal on the Indian lands. 2022 – Boris Johnson resigns as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and is replaced by Liz Truss. Their meetings with Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral Castle were the Queen's final official duties before her death two days later. 2022 – Russo-Ukrainian War: Ukraine begins its Kharkiv counteroffensive, surprising Russian forces and retaking over 3,000 square kilometers of land, recapturing the entire Kharkiv Oblast west of the Oskil River, within the next week.

[projectourworld]

2nd place in the change makers: reasons for hope category. Environmental Photography Awards. Buffelsfontein, South Africa, 2022. Students investigate a model crime scene during a training exercise at the Wildlife Forensic academy. The academy, which is the first of its kind in the world, aims to equip rangers and other environmental law enforcement officers with the skills they need to collect the crucial forensic traces required to successfully prosecute poachers. The rhino used in this staged crime scene was killed and dehorned by poachers before being stuffed and brought in to help train students at the academy. Photograph: Tommy Trenchard : Courtesy The Guardian #rhino #poachers #africa

[greensparty]

Green's Party's Guide to the 2025 Oscar Nominated Short Films

I am absolutely thrilled to be doing my 8th annual guide to the Oscar Nominated Short Films (read my 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023  and 2024 guides). Anyone who knows me knows I am a longtime champion of the Short Film categories for Animation, Live Action and Documentary at the Academy Awards, mainly because I have made short films and I know how hard it can be to tell a story in a short amount of time.

2025 movie poster

This year’s nominated short films are available from ShortsTV both in theaters and online. I’ve watched all of them and here are my thoughts and predictions:

Best Animated Short Film:

This category is always cool because of the varying styles of animation. Magic Candies (Japan) is about a lonely boy Dong-Dong, who decides to buy a bag of candies instead of marbles and begins seeing some strange things. At times, the animation seemed almost like puppetry or woodmation for this imaginative tale. In the Shadow of the Cypress (Iran) is about a former captain now living in a secluded house with his daughter and suffering from PTSD. It's a silent movie in that there is no dialogue. Yuck! (France) is about kids at a Summer camp who are grossed out by older people kissing, until the main boy wants to give it a try with a girl camper. Wander to Wonder (UK) is about some miniature characters in a 1980s children's TV show, who are left alone in the studio after the show's originator dies. It boasts notable actor Toby Jones as one of the voices. This is very creative animation, but I'm sure animated purists will take issue with some of the live action pieces being combined into the film. In Beautiful Men (Belgium / France / Netherlands) three brothers stay at a hotel in Istanbul for hair transplants. This is the one animated short nominee that could have easily been a raunchy adult dramedy if it was live action, but within animation it was able to encompass more mature themes like older men with insecurities.

Will Win: Wander to Wonder seems to be getting some momentum and it's got some notable cast members. I think the live action element, might dissuade some animators, but it's charming enough to just win!

Should Win: Beautiful Men was the most original and entertaining of this year's animation nominees.

Best Live Action Short Film:

What a category this year! First up is Netflix's Anuja (U.S. in Hindi), which boasts star power in its producer Mindy Kaling. This shows a 9-year-old girl working in a garment factory and she is given an opportunity to go to school and has to make a decision. It had very stylish cinematography and tugged at the heartstrings. The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent (Croatia) takes place on a train that is suddenly stopped by military forces in an ethnic cleansing operation in 1993. There is an undercurrent of tension and fear throughout, even as we the audience are not seeing the horrors beyond the train, it's felt in a harrowing way. The New Yorker's I'm Not a Robot  (Belgium / Netherlands) begins with a woman at her workplace doing one of those logins to prove you're not a robot. When she has trouble logging in, she takes a survey that assesses she might be a bot and that causes her world to unravel. I liked the idea and the build-up, even if the ending was a letdown. A Lien is about a family dealing with a dangerous immigration process. In less than 15 minutes, this drama packs in more than a lot of features even try for. The Last Ranger (South Africa) is about young Litha, who is introduced to a game reserve by the last remaining ranger, and they are ambushed by poachers as they try to save the rhinos. This film truly makes the argument for seeing the Oscar Nominated Shorts in a movie theater. The scenic locale is breath-taking on a small screen, but probably looked way better on a big screen.

Will Win: Any of these could easily win for different reasons, but A Lien is very of-the-moment with Trump's immigration policy being a hot-button issue.

Should Win: The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent gets a ton of credit for having a lot to say without actually showing the horrors it alludes to it. But I think A Lien is the best of any of this Live Action Shorts batch!

Best Documentary Short Film:

This year's Documentary Short Film nominees cover a lot of varied ground: New York Times' Instruments of a Beating Heart (Japan) is about a first grade class in a Tokyo elementary school that are going to perform "Ode to Joy" for the incoming first students and the subject is a girl who was selected to play the drums in the song. You are rooting for her as she gets so scared and upset during rehearsals, but it shows the power of music, which was a similar theme in last year's winner The Last Repair Shop. The New Yorker's Incident is a reconstruction of a 2018 police shooting in Chicago. It is a unique documentary in that it is made up entirely of actual surveillance and bodycam footage. It is disturbing to watch and there's also long stretches with no sound, forcing the viewer to watch what's happening that much more. MTV Documentary Films' I am Ready, Warden is directed by Smriti Mundhra, who was nominated in this category for 2019's St. Louis Superman (which I praised in my 2020 Shorts Guide). This very intense doc looks at a convicted murderer on death row. Prior to his execution he tries to reach out to his son and the victim's son. It looks at the situation from all sides. Very sobering to say the least. Netflix's The Only Girl in the Orchestra is about double bassist Orin O'Brien, who recently retired from the New York Philharmonic. The doc is directed by her niece Molly and it's a conversational look at Orin's life growing up with Old Hollywood actor parents, her love of music and her career, including re-connecting with former students. The Kennedy / Marshall Company (yes, THE Frank Marshall is a producer of this) present Death by Numbers about Samantha Fuentes, one of the survivors of the Parkland High School shooting. It shows her grappling with feelings of anger and sadness as she prepares to face the shooter in his trial. To say this is powerful would be an understatement. It documents this subject's life, memories and the trial, it used animation, poetry and art to enhance Fuentes' narration / interviews.

Will Win: There is a lot of heavy subjects in this year's category, which is why they might cancel each other out and The Only Girl in the Orchestra, which is more uplifting and celebratory, could steal the thunder.

Should Win: This one is difficult to choose, but I think Death By Numbers was the one that left me the most speechless and went beyond just a documentary short and felt like a moving life experience.

This year’s Oscar Nominated Short Films can be seen online from ShortsTV as well as select movie theaters including programs at Coolidge Corner Theatre and Alamo Drafthouse Boston.

[randomrichards]

THE LAST RANGER:

Girl rides with ranger

Sees South Africa’s beauty

Fighting the poachers

[therepublicreport]

South Africa's succulent plants under threat from poachers in the Karoo

Thuthuka Zondi / BBC A biodiversity hotspot in a remote part of South Africa has become the hub of an illegal trade in protected plant species, with organised crime groups capitalising on overseas demand. “They’ve not just stolen our land or our plants, they’ve stolen our heritage as well,” a livestock farmer angrily tells the BBC, as she expresses dismay at the social and ecological crisis that…