africa

Just One Elephant Remains in the Knysna Forest

Just One Elephant Remains in the Knysna Forest

A sobering 15-month study on the declining population of the southernmost herd of African elephants has determined only one elephant, a mature female, is free-roaming in the Knysna forest in South Africa. The analysis—titled And Then There Was One—was recently published in the African Journal of Wildlife Research. Research conducted by SANParks scientists has confirmed […]

Join our newsletter

The best of EcoWatch, right in your inbox. Sign up for our email newsletter!

    Africa’s Iconic Baobabs Are Dying, Including World’s OIdest Flowering Tree

    Africa’s Iconic Baobabs Are Dying, Including World’s OIdest Flowering Tree

    When researchers set out to investigate the structure, growth and age of Africa’s iconic baobab trees—the largest and longest-living flowering trees in the world—they received a devastating surprise. Many of the oldest, largest baobabs were dead or dying. The final study, published in Nature Plants Monday, reported that nine of the 13 oldest and five […]

    Train Carrying 250,000 Liters of Fuel Derails on Kenyan Coast

    Train Carrying 250,000 Liters of Fuel Derails on Kenyan Coast

    A cargo train carrying 250,000 liters (66,000 gallons) of super petroleum, or unleaded gasoline, derailed off its tracks after taking a sharp turn along Kenya’s eastern coast, forcing the closure of a major highway over the weekend, according to local reports. The accident occurred early Sunday in Kibarani in Mombasa County, and prompted authorities to […]

    World’s Largest Desert Growing Even Larger, Partly Due to Climate Change

    World’s Largest Desert Growing Even Larger, Partly Due to Climate Change

    The Sahara Desert—which takes up about 3.6 million square miles of northern Africa—is growing ever larger, signaling daunting news for people living in the Sahel border region who stand to lose valuable arable land to the expanding desert. The boundaries of the world’s largest hot desert, already around the size of China or the continental […]

    Climate Change, Conflict Leave 224 Million Undernourished in Africa

    Climate Change, Conflict Leave 224 Million Undernourished in Africa

    An official with the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warns that climate change and conflict are leading to food insecurity for millions of people living in Africa. “Undernourishment appears to have risen from about 21 percent to nearly 23 percent between 2015 and 2016,” Bukar Tijani, FAO’s assistant director general for Africa, said […]

    Suspected Poacher Eaten by Lions in South Africa

    Suspected Poacher Eaten by Lions in South Africa

    A suspected poacher was mauled to death and eaten by a pride of lions outside of South Africa’s famed Kruger National Park, according to media reports. The victim’s remains were found over the weekend at a private game park near Hoedspruit in the province of Limpopo. The lions ate most of the body but left […]

    The Most Valued Anti-Poaching Equipment May Surprise You

    The Most Valued Anti-Poaching Equipment May Surprise You

    By Heartie Look In recent years, the battle against wildlife poaching in Africa has taken a high-tech turn. Night-vision goggles, body armor and unmanned aerial vehicles have all become part of the modern ranger armament. But for rangers on the ground, their actual requests are often more everyday—starting with a good pair of socks. “It […]

    Chocolate Makers Agree to Stop Cutting Down Forests in West Africa for Cocoa

    Chocolate Makers Agree to Stop Cutting Down Forests in West Africa for Cocoa

    By Mike Gaworecki At COP23, the UN climate talks in Bonn, Germany that wrapped up last week, top cocoa-producing countries in West Africa announced new commitments to end the massive deforestation for cocoa that is occurring within their borders. Ivory Coast and Ghana are the number one and number two cocoa-producing nations on Earth, respectively. […]