Chinese, South African ‘mafia’ decimating wildlife in Kruger National Park
Article written by Darren Taylor Originally published by The Epoch Times (Monday, March 20, 2023) JOHANNESBURG—A new report from the European Union-funded international crime response group, Enact, says organized crime groups from South Africa and China—in collaboration with corrupt wildlife officials—are “decimating” big game animals in one of the world’s premier game reserves. The Kruger […]
Miami art dealer convicted of smuggling ivory sculptures
Miami-based art dealer Eduardo Ulises Martinez has been sentenced to more than four years in prison for illegally transporting sculptures containing ivory, reports The Art Newspaper. He was also found guilty of obstructing the course of justice. Martinez was caught with ivory in his luggage in September 2021, as he made his way through Miami […]
Conservation Action Trust: OUR KIN DISCARDED – South Africa’s inhumane and indefensible trade and killing of (nonhuman) primates
Adapted from article written by EMS & BAT Originally published by Conservation Action Trust (February 2023) South Africa is failing in their oversight of the legal export of non-human primates and their body parts, effectively condoning needless cruelty to these innocent animals. In only 7 years, between January 2016 and December 2022, through just a […]
Urgent Action Needed: Help orphaned pangolins survive poaching tragedy!
We have told you before about the near obliteration of endangered pangolins in Africa and throughout the world. The clock is ticking for this species, which is being driven to extinction by the illegal wildlife trade, for its meat and scales. Credit: Nancy Gelman / USFWS; Jefri Tarigan / AP Every pangolin life lost pushes […]
Study Warns European Demand for Frog Legs Could Drive Amphibians to “Irreversible Extinction”
Frog legs are one of the most infamous dishes on French restaurant menus – but the demand for the delicacy is destroying frog populations in Turkey, Albania and Indonesia, says a new study published in Nature Conservation journal. According to Euronews.green, European countries imported over 40 million kilograms (over 88 million pounds) of frog legs […]
Elephant and Rhino Numbers Rising in Uganda After Years-Long Poaching Wave
Populations of endangered elephants, rhinos and other wildlife in Uganda’s reserves is steadily growing, following years of decline as a result of poaching, illegal trafficking and conflict, according to state-run Uganda Wildlife Authority. A population of northern white and eastern black rhino wiped out in the 1980s by poachers has grown back to 32, reports […]
Critically important vultures are being ruthlessly poisoned and pushed to EXTINCTION.
Vultures are perilously close to extinction. If they die out, the consequences for human life will be catastrophic. We need to pay attention to this rapidly dwindling species right now because our health and perhaps our very survival is at stake. Credit: VulPro Tragically, maligned and often misunderstood vultures are given little support because of […]
Illegal traders refer to giraffes as “motorbikes” because selling their body parts can fetch enough money to buy a motorcycle.
Endangered reticulated giraffes, native to the horn of Africa, are in terrible trouble with poaching being a major cause. It is estimated that there are only 8,500 of these unique animals left in the wild today. Most reticulated giraffes are found in Kenya, where a massive drought and economic hardship – leading to a poaching […]
IMPORTANT UPDATE on the fight to FREE LJUBO, a bear in despair!
In my work as executive director of Animal Survival International, it is a sad fact that all-too-frequently I encounter cruelty to animals, but I have rarely come across cruelty that affected me as much as the plight of Ljubo, a bear in despair. ASI is working to FREE LJUBO from a cage in Montenegro, and […]
Rhino poaching soars by 93 percent in Namibia
A shocking all-time high of 87 endangered rhinos were poached in Namibia last year, reports Al Jazeera. This in comparison to 45 slaughtered in 2021, according to local government data. Africa’s rhino population has been decimated over the past decades as the demand for rhino horn has surged in East Asia. The horn is considered […]
Unique Madagascan Mammals on Fast Track to Extinction
Over 20 million years of evolutionary history could be wiped from the face of the earth if action is not taken now to stop Madagascar’s unique mammals going extinct, according to a new study published in Nature Communications journal. Species at risk include the threatened ring-tailed lemur and the aye-aye, a nocturnal primate native to […]
Poachers could wipe gentle bonobos off the face of the earth!
In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Central Africa, the rampant illegal wildlife trade is destroying many precious endangered animals. Bonobos, an endangered great ape species which shares more than 98% of its DNA with humans, are a tragic example. These peaceful, forest-dwelling creatures are native only to the DRC and are routinely hunted […]
Gentle, shy pangolins are in grave danger of EXTINCTION! Here’s how you can help!
I come to you with a heartfelt plea for help on behalf of pangolins in Nigeria. Every day, these shy, gentle, nocturnal creatures in this African nation are at risk of being captured for the horrific illegal wildlife trade. Pangolin scales are used in Asia for phony ‘traditional medicines’. Animals are stripped of their scales […]
President Biden Bans Ownership of Big Cats in the United States
The US’ President Biden signed legislation earlier this week banning the private ownership of several species of big cats, including lions and tigers, reports the New York Post. The ban follows a years-long campaign by Carole Baskin, infamous antagonist of the Netflix hit series, Tiger King. The Big Cat Public Safety Act was signed after […]
Brian Davies obituary (1935 – 2022)
Brian Davies – 4 February 1935 – 27 December 2022 Brian Davies, world-renowned animal welfare activist, has died. He was 87. To the general public, Davies will be most remembered for his success in ending the baby whitecoat seal slaughter in Canada in the 1960s, and for donating £1-million to the British Labour Party election […]
Pangolins! Elephants! SO MANY rare and endangered animals could be EXTINCT IN OUR LIFETIMES!
Our planet is in crisis and our irreplaceable wildlife is in terrible danger all over the world. ASI provides direct action to help animals in the most immediate peril – animals who would die without our help. At ASI, we see firsthand the devastating consequences of climate change, habitat destruction and the merciless illegal wildlife […]
Illegal wildlife trade poaching kills a gentle pangolin EVERY FIVE MINUTES! EXTINCTION LOOMS!
Gentle, shy pangolins are in grave danger of extinction. The insatiable and unrelenting illegal wildlife trade slaughters tens of thousands of pangolins every year. Credit: AFP Experts warn that two critically endangered pangolin species – the Chinese pangolin and the Sunda pangolin – could be wiped out within seven years. We need to act now. […]
11 Sentenced to Death for 2017 Murder of Wildlife Activist Wayne Lotter
Five years after the murder of renowned anti-poaching activist Wayne Lotter, a Tanzanian court has sentenced his killers to death. According to Al Jazeera, 11 people were handed the death penalty by a Tanzanian court last Friday. Those sentenced included nine locals and two Burundians. Lotter, a 51-year-old South African conservationist living in Tanzania, helped […]
FREEDOM FLIGHT! No animal should be held captive… yet this is the plight of two lion cubs who WE’RE ABOUT TO FLY TO A SANCTUARY!
In the Middle East, wealthy Gulf-state nationals buy wild animals to show off as status symbols. These animals are illegally imported, reared in captivity, bred, abused and then often escape or are discarded. This is no life for any wild animal, and no exotic species is safe from the illegal exotic pet trade: lions, chimpanzees, […]
How we helped in October and November 2022
Animal Survival International (ASI) works around the clock and around the globe to help wildlife affected by climate change. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters and the tireless dedication of our partners, we are able to take immediate action for countless wild animals in dire need of help. Your support is vital in everything […]
U.N. Gathering Rejects Bids to Trade Ivory and Rhino Horn in Southern Africa
In a blessing for elephants, the African nations of Namibia and Zimbabwe have failed to convince a United Nations body to allow them to export elephant tusks, while Eswatini lost a bid to sell rhino horn, reports Reuters. Namibia and cash-strapped Zimbabwe had claimed that sales would protect the animals and raise money for conservation, […]
African penguin populations have declined by 98% in the last century! The species could be EXTINCT within the next few years!
African penguin populations have declined by 98% in the last century. If we do not take IMMEDIATE ACTION, the species could be extinct within the next few years. We have a plan to help them! Please, will you join us? Tragically, it’s no longer unrealistic to imagine a world without these charming and ecologically vital […]
A Remarkable Rescue by the Saint Mark’s Animal Hospital and Shelter
Just a few days ago, our partner, The Saint Mark’s Animal Hospital and Shelter in Lagos, Nigeria, was alerted to a dreadful case involving a vulnerable Olive Ridley sea turtle who had been caught by poachers for the illegal wildlife and bushmeat trade. The magnificent creature had most likely come ashore to lay her eggs, […]
Pangolins rescued from criminal gangs urgently need care before they can be returned to the wild. Please, will you help them?
Critically endangered pangolins are the most trafficked mammals in the world, with more than ONE MILLION poached over the last decade. The insatiable demand of the illegal wildlife trade has driven all eight species of pangolin to the brink of extinction. Every year, tens of thousands of pangolins are poached and killed for their scales […]
Conservationists Argue to Protect African Hippo as Wildlife Trade Drives the Species Closer to Extinction
African representatives from Humane Society International (HSI) will argue for the classification of hippo as an endangered species at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora in Panama next month. This after South Africa exported an average of 122 hippos every year between 2009 and 2018, according to […]
South African Rhino Horn Worth $15-million Seized in Singapore
Authorities in Singapore have made their largest-ever seizure of rhino horn, confiscated from a smuggler arriving from South Africa, according to News24.com. The haul is reportedly worth $830,000 (around £735,471). Authorities at Singapore Changi Airport uncovered 20 pieces of rhino horn weighing 34 kilograms (75 lb). The two bags containing the horn were detected by […]
Three Baby Chimps Kidnapped and Held for Ransom in DRC
Is this the new trend in animal wildlife crime? An animal sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been hit with a ransom demand after three of its baby chimpanzees were kidnapped, reports CNN.com. “This is the first time in the world that baby apes were kidnapped for ransom,” Franck Chantereau, founder of […]
Cheetahs Set to Roam in India for the First Time Since Being Declared Extinct 70 Years Ago
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi has reintroduced extinct cheetahs on his birthday, reports the BBC.com. The group of eight cats arrived from Namibia on Saturday, and will be the first to roam free in the country since the species was declared extinct in 1952. The cheetahs will spend one month in quarantine before being released […]
Wildlife Trafficker Abdi Ahmed Extradited to the United States
Notorious Kenyan wildlife trafficker Abdi Ahmed has been extradited to the United States (US) on multiple counts of wildlife trafficking, according to the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). Ahmed was the final escaped member of a prominent wildlife traffic syndicate wanted in the U.S. for trafficking substantial amounts of ivory and rhino horn, […]
Caught in a snare, ‘Najam’ the lioness suffered horribly for FOUR DAYS. We can save wild animals from snares. Please, will you help us?
Snares are one of the world’s oldest and cruelest devices for killing animals. Usually, the animal dies slowly, after days or weeks of suffering. Recently, ‘Najam’, a magnificent two-year-old lioness in Zimbabwe, was spotted with a steel snare cutting through her mouth and tearing through her cheeks. The slipknot was lodged in her throat, making […]
Rhino Poaching Surges in Namibia
Namibia is currently experiencing an alarming surge in rhino poaching, with the number of poached rhinos reaching 48 this year, according to a spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Tourism. Of these, 32 were critically endangered black rhinos and 16 were near-threatened white rhinos. “Poaching has become more prevalent in private farms as […]
The UK’s Leading PM Candidate Refuses to Embrace Animal Welfare – But Her Opponent Will
The Guardian last week reported that Liz Truss, would-be successor to outgoing British prime minister Boris Johnson, has refused to protect animal welfare in post-Brexit trade deals. This according to environment secretary George Eustice, who says that Truss’s rival, Rishi Sunak, has made it clear he would not compromise on welfare standards. “It is fair […]
Cheetah Reintroduction in Malawi Encourages the Return of Vultures
Four critically endangered vulture species have returned to the Liwonde National Park in Malawi, after having not been seen there for more than 20 years. The birds’ resurgence is credited to the successful reintroduction of cheetahs and lions, as the predators’ prey remains increase food availability for vultures. In 2017, seven cheetahs were relocated to […]
More than 100 vultures and a hyena poisoned to death at South Africa’s Kruger National Park
More than 100 vultures at South Africa’s Kruger National Park, as well as a hyena, have been found dead after feeding on a poisoned buffalo carcass, reports local media. The disturbing discovery was made near the far northern Punda Maria region of the park, which borders a village. Local conservationists believe the deaths could be […]
The TORTURE – the BRUTALITY – endured by tortoises is BEYOND BELIEF!
Right now, a group of critically endangered tortoises are in danger of starving to death after being rescued from the illegal wildlife trade in Africa. With your help, we can urgently get food to them so they survive this ordeal and bring hope to their entire species. Please, help us right now. In Madagascar, tortoises […]
Rhino Poaching Worsens in South Africa as 259 Slain in First Half of 2022
South Africa’s Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DFFE) reports that 259 rhinos have been slaughtered in the first six months of this year in the country – already 10 more than for the same period last year. Of these, 82 were killed in the Kruger National Park, the country’s largest state-owned park. According to […]
Shy pangolins, the world’s most trafficked animals, are being poached to extinction for food and the illicit wildlife trade.
An estimated 2.7 million pangolins are poached annually in Central Africa alone, according to a new study by the UK’s University of Sussex. These statistics are harrowing, and they are worsening every year. Pangolins – shy, nocturnal animals who are mammals despite their scaly appearance – are now the most trafficked animal on the planet. Poached […]
First Beaver Born In Cheshire After More Than 400 years
A pair of Eurasian beavers have successfully bred in Cheshire in northwest England for the first time in over 400 years. The couple, named Willow and Rowan, were released at Hatchmere near Delmere Forest by the Cheshire Wildlife Trust (CWT) in November 2020. The CWT described the sighting of the newborn beaver as “a real […]
11 Black Rhinos Poached in Namibia’s National Park
In June, 11 critically endangered black rhinos were illegally slaughtered and their horns removed in just two weeks. Their lifeless carcasses were discovered scattered across the Etosha National Park, said Namibia’s Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda. No arrests in connection with the killings have been made, but investigations are ongoing. […]
Happy the Elephant is Not a Person, New York Court Rules
Originally published by and adapted from BBC News. 14 June 2022 Happy the elephant, a long-time resident of the Bronx Zoo, must remain there after a New York court ruled she is not legally a person under US law. Animal Survival International (ASI) reported on Happy the Elephant back in May. At the time, there […]
Namibia’s Wildlife Policy Slammed Over Recent Export of Elephants to The UAE
The recent export of 22 wild-caught elephants from Namibia to zoos in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has sparked outrage at the county’s flagrant disregard of international agreements and appalling cruelty to elephants. Moving wild-caught elephants into zoos has been outlawed since 2002, but Namibian officials chose to ignore the rules. The elephants moved are […]
The young pangolin, Bean, was illegally captured and shot in the head. MIRACULOUSLY, he SURVIVED!
Please, will you help today? In South Africa, a young pangolin has been rescued from the criminal wildlife trade and needs URGENT MEDICAL ATTENTION to save his life! During an undercover operation conducted by the Umoya Khulula Wildlife Centre, in partnership with the South African Police Service, their team found the pangolin stuffed into a […]
Cruel Trade in Ivory to be Illegal as World-leading Ban Takes Effect
The UK Ivory Act, which enforces a near total ban on the import, export and dealing of items containing elephant ivory, came into full effect on June 6. Said to be one of the toughest and most strictly enforced bans on elephant ivory sales around the globe, the Ivory Act has emerged not a moment […]
Smuggling of Exotic Animals via India Escalates as Kangaroos Discovered in Bengal
India’s anti-smuggling intelligence agency, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), says that the country has seen a rapid rise in the demand for exotic animals. Customs authorities have witnessed an extreme spike in the illegal trafficking of exotic animals from Southeast Asia in particular. According to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), elephant tusks, pangolin scales, […]
Much To Trumpet About: US Court To Decide If Happy The Elephant Has Human Rights
Can basic human rights be extended to an elephant? That is the question being put to the New York High Court this week by advocates at the Nonhuman Rights Project (NRP). According to The Guardian, they argue that Happy – an Asian elephant who has lived at the Bronx Zoo for 45 years – is […]
UK’s Leading Mammal Expert Shows a Ban on Snaring Is the Only Way To Protect Animal Welfare
Originally published by Antisnaring.co.uk (Monday, May 10, 2022) The National Anti Snaring Campaign with the support of Animal Survival International has commissioned a major “Review of the use of Snares in the UK” by Professor Stephen Harris. This follows the Action Plan for Animal Welfare in May 2021, which set out the Government’s plans, […]
Temporary Reprieve for SA Wildlife as Trophy Hunting Quotas Halted
The South African government wants to issue permits so trophy hunters can kill 10 leopards, 10 black rhinos and 150 elephants in 2022.The Western Cape High Court has temporarily blocked the attempt on technical grounds but the fight is far from over because the government will certainly appeal. According to the Daily Maverick, South Africa […]
MILITANT TERRORISTS (called Al-Shabaab) are SLAUGHTERING rare giraffes and selling their meat to BUY MORE WEAPONS!
While the war in Ukraine and its devastating effects on the country’s animals dominate international headlines (and much of our current work), the reality is that animals continue to face mounting crises all over the globe, and we have to be there for them. We are – and with your support today, we will continue to save […]
Ireland Becomes Latest European Country to Ban Fur Farming
Ireland is the latest country to ban fur farming after legislation to end the practice reached the final stages of the parliamentary process last month. The bill is currently on its way to the president of Ireland, Michael Higgins, to be signed into law. Ireland’s three existing fur farms will be shut down during the […]
UNPRECEDENTED RESCUE MISSION UNDERWAY – to save 6,000 Ukraine frightened and starving zoo animals! We must act fast!
As Russia’s war against Ukraine rages on, ASI is deeply concerned about the country’s wild animals. We are dismayed by the relentless anguish thousands of animals are enduring because of the violence and destruction. The war is having catastrophic consequences on Ukraine’s free wildlife and on the poor, unfortunate animals locked captive in zoos. A […]