Beyond the Boundary: Tackling Lead Poisoning Across Vulture Landscapes
17 September 2026
We are a community newspaper based in Hoedspruit, South Africa, that has its bias towards wildlife and conservation. We aim to have local, original, and relevant content that is both thought provoking and educational. We also strive to maintain a high standard of journalism.
We are in the centre of the UNESCO officially ratified, Kruger to Canyons Biosphere. Hoedspruit is generally considered to be the ‘safari capital’ of South Africa, within close proximity to the renowned and famous Kruger National Park, the Blyde River Canyon, the Timbavati, Klaserie and many other private game farms and reserves. Some of Africa’s most luxurious game lodges are also close by.
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We hope you enjoy the read and we look forward to welcoming you to Hoedspruit, our community, and our world of wildlife and conservation.
I know that I have harped on this subject before but if you have felt the news drumbeat about a “super El Niño” and wondered what it actually means for Hoedspruit, here is the honest answer. As of now, our dams are full, our soils are wet, and the drought everyone is talking about has not arrived. The El Niño is real, it is strengthening, and it is likely to make the coming summer hotter and probably drier than usual – but the Lowveld enters this event from a position of unusual strength, and preparation now matters far more than alarm.
In the intricate biology of the human body, organs such as the breast, the colon and the lungs are lined with a defensive barrier known as the epithelium. At the heart of this barrier sits a remarkable protein called Mucin-1 (MUC1). In a healthy body, MUC1 is like a sentinel.
As the world marks the 20th World Ranger Day in Kruger’s Centenary Year, a global campaign renews Its call for justice.
The appeal speaks to the fact that this has been the most anticipated El Niño event in history against the backdrop of improved forecasts that increasingly see it becoming one of the most intense ever, and growing awareness about its impacts.
BirdLife South Africa’s Vulture Project
If all goes according to plan, by the time this article is published, the next great cosmic observatory should be on its way to its new home. The Nancy Grace Roman telescope is NASA’s latest offering to aid in our understanding of the Universe. It will join Hubble and James Webb in scouring the cosmos, trying to unlock its deepest and darkest secrets.
In the heart of the Congo Basin’s Cuvette Centrale, a large depression hosting the world’s biggest tropical wetland complex, lie two vast, shallow blackwater lakes, Lake Tumba and Lake Mai Ndombe. Together they are roughly the size of 420,000 football fields.
CyberTracker’s international evaluator community is gathering this week (24–31 August) for the first time in the organisation’s 30-plus year history – hosted outside Hoedspruit. This was all made possible thanks to the organisers, Kersey Lawrence and Lee Gutteridge.
This month has Valentines Day – but it has always fascinated me as to where did it originate and why?
Valentine’s Day is now synonymous with roses, chocolates and candlelit dinners. But it has roots far less polished – and far more intriguing.
In the intricate biology of the human body, organs such as the breast, the colon and the lungs are lined with a defensive barrier known as the epithelium. At the heart of this barrier sits a remarkable protein called Mucin-1 (MUC1). In a healthy body, MUC1 is like a sentinel.
BirdLife South Africa’s Vulture Project
