Nature & Conservation

New tax incentive might be just what’s needed to save SA’s threatened species

The writing’s on the wall: If we don’t find innovative ways to channel finance into conservation, we will not be able to reverse the decline of our endangered species or meet our ambitious (but vital) international conservation commitments. And SA’s first tax incentive for threatened species such as rhino, lion and endangered plants might just be the solution.

27 November 2023 No Comments

Pic 1 A new study suggests that hearing birdsong or seeing birds can prevent mental health difficulties. Image Erik Karits _ Unsplashlead pic

Nature & Conservation

Hearing or seeing birds has a positive effect on mental health, study finds

A study published in October 2022 suggests that birdsong benefits mental health. Not only do these and other similar findings have implications for conservation and mental healthcare policies, but they could also inform urban planning that takes into consideration how humans can co-exist with nature in a fair and balanced way in urban spaces.

21 November 2023 No Comments

Nature & Conservation

Hume’s herd of 2 000 African rhinos get a last-minute ‘lifeline’ in major purchase and rewilding project

When John Hume put his 2 000 rhinos up for auction in April, he didn’t receive a single bid. Last month, the NGO African Parks announced it would purchase the world’s largest population of privately owned white rhinos, which will be ‘rewilded’ over 10 years.

13 November 2023 No Comments

Nature & Conservation

Top journalists to up the game in reporting on wildlife crime

Wildlife crime often goes unreported, and when it does make headlines, coverage frequently varies from the lurid to the lacklustre. And in South Africa, the public discourse on it all generally focuses on poached rhinos, pangolins and snared wildlife.

8 November 2023 No Comments

Snouted Cobra (Naja annulifera) from Vaalwater, Limpopo Province. Copyright Johan Marais

Nature & Conservation

The snouted cobra – Naja allulifera

The snouted cobra (Naja annulifera) is by far the largest cobra in the Lowveld, reaching 2,5 m in length. It is usually yellowish to dark brown or blue-black above with a yellow mottled belly but there is also a banded variety.

25 October 2023 No Comments

Nature & Conservation

Once in a Blue Moon

For as long as mankind has been watching the sky, one object more than most has stood out in the glittering heavens. The Moon is the Earth’s only large, natural satellite.

20 October 2023 No Comments

Nature & Conservation

Wildlife Ranger Challenge 2023

Wildlife rangers operate on the very frontline of conservation across Africa, routinely making personal sacrifices to put their lives on the line to protect the continent’s wildlife and habitats.

13 October 2023 No Comments

Community News

“The idiots guide to sewage”

Everyone in Hoedspruit is now blatantly aware of the serious sewage problem that has enveloped the town in the last

10 October 2023 No Comments

Nature & Conservation

Hope for rhinos as a part of our natural heritage

World Rhino Day, celebrated on September 22nd every year, is a global initiative aimed at raising awareness about the importance of rhinos and their conservation. South Africa, with its rich biodiversity and unique ecosystems, plays a significant role in the global effort to protect these magnificent creatures. This year’s World Rhino Day comes with exciting news as African Parks, a prominent conservation organisation, has made a ground-breaking, last-minute purchase of 2 000 rhinos.

6 October 2023 No Comments

Common mother-of-pearl, Protogoniomorpha parhassus

Nature & Conservation

How do butterflies let us know that winter is over?

Forbs (herbaceous flowering plants) and geophytes appear from the soil in which their rootstocks and bulbs have been hidden – often carpeting the veld with flowers – and flowers attract pollinators.

26 September 2023 No Comments

Nature & Conservation

New tax incentive might be just what’s needed to save SA’s threatened species

Hearing or seeing birds has a positive effect on mental health, study finds

Hume’s herd of 2 000 African rhinos get a last-minute ‘lifeline’ in major purchase and rewilding project

Top journalists to up the game in reporting on wildlife crime

The snouted cobra – Naja allulifera

Once in a Blue Moon

Wildlife Ranger Challenge 2023

“The idiots guide to sewage”

Hope for rhinos as a part of our natural heritage

How do butterflies let us know that winter is over?

New tax incentive might be just what’s needed to save SA’s threatened species

The merge – Hoedspruit Farm Watch and Town Watch join forces

Hearing or seeing birds has a positive effect on mental health, study finds

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New tax incentive might be just what’s needed to save SA’s threatened species

The merge – Hoedspruit Farm Watch and Town Watch join forces

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