Private rhino horn owner John Hume recently held South Africa’s first online rhino horn auction, a major event in the ongoing fight by private rhino owners to be able to sell legal horn stocks But in a statement released on Hume’s behalf it was admitted that there were very few bidders for the 264 horns. The […]

For years many international organizations have worked tirelessly in Vietnam and China to discourage the use of Rhino horn. They have invested time, energy and millions of dollars in their educational programs… writes MEGAN CARR. “In one foul greedy swoop rhino farmer John Hume and the PROA group with the assistance of the South African […]

Last winter the question on everyone’s lips was “Where are the whales?”… The number of southern right whales visiting our shores has been lower than average for a few years now and in 2016 appeared to be way down even from the previous year. This was confirmed by the official count from the Mammal Research Institute […]

It’s out with the polar bear pictures and in with more varied images that represent climate change around the globe as it impacts on humans… as new research shows that the polar bear photos are no longer representative enough of the crisis facing all corners of the planet. According to research by Climate Outreach, while […]

A new wildlife organisation has launched with the ambitious aim of saving every single surviving rhino or elephant victim of poaching. It’s called The Now or Never African Wildlife Trust (NNAWT)… and it has search giant Google on its side! NNAWT brings together key players – with extensive experience and contacts – in the war on poaching, […]

Humans like to think that they rule the planet and are hard wired to do so. But our stewardship has been anything but successful. The last major extinction event, 66 million years ago, was caused by a meteorite. But the next mass extinction event, which is under way right now, is our fault. Geologists have […]

A group of postgraduate students at Stellenbosch University are embarking on an ambitious project to solve South Africa’s water problems and do their part for a sustainable water future. The “Know Your Water” project is the brainchild of Jared van Rooyen and forms the basis of his MSc. The project involves a countrywide field excursion to […]

As the Kruger National Park (KNP) announces that its gravel roads have been re-opened today (21 February 2017) for tourists, a video has emerged of a determined elephant chasing a car for miles in South Africa’s famous national park (watch below). The gravel roads had been closed as a precautionary measure due to heavy rain on 16 February 2017, brought […]

A tropical storm – named Dineo – has swept in from the Indian Ocean, causing extensive flooding as it hit landfall in Mozambique. More damage is threatened as it swings south and west. Tropical storms are classified once clouds have reached an organised cyclonic formation and wind speeds have exceeded 60km/h. The storm can be […]

Touched by seeing children going to bed hungry and the people around her lacking sources of good nutrition, Marian Dube started growing and selling vegetables from her backyard. The 42-year-old widow and mother of three, who grew up in a family of subsistence farmers in Mberengwa, south east of Zimbabwe, says, “I came to South […]

Towards the end of each year hundreds of thousands of people escape dark, cold, rainy winters in Europe and North America for a break in sunny South Africa. Many are drawn by the country’s wide array of outdoor attractions: nature reserves, beaches and adventure activities like skydiving and water sports. All of these are reliant […]

The Department of Water and Sanitation says all dams and systems have benefitted from the good rains over the past week, and “a number of dams are above 100%”… although that happy news doesn’t apply to all, judging by the Department’s own stats. The Vaal Dam is thankfully rising, but some dams – particularly in the Western […]

East London photographer MIKE GEYER captured these photos of the rough ocean seas as waves pounded the rocks and shore in the eastern cape, South Africa… providing an ideal playground for kite surfers (watch video at bottom of page). “Yesterday the power of the sea after the super moon – which we did not get to […]

South African endurance swimmer LEWIS PUGH, who lives between London and Cape Town, has been credited by the United Nations (UN) for his “Speedo diplomacy” which has helped lead to the creation of the biggest protected marine area in history! Here’s the backstory, as told by Lewis himself… Sometimes “Crazy” Gets the Job Done – by Lewis […]

The surf was UP in Durban this week, with an unexpected East swell that caused havoc, closing beaches yesterday. Local photographers NIC ABERDEIN and CRAIG DOVE captured the action… (UPDATE 12 MARCH 2017: If you’re looking for video and photos of the freak tsunami-like waves that hit Durban beachfront on Sunday 12 March 2017, please click […]

South Africans – particularly those who live in the Eastern and Northern Cape – breathe about the cleanest air in Africa, according to a new WHO report on Air Pollution Exposure. WHO has released the findings from a ‘Country Estimates on Air Pollution Exposure and Health Impact’ study, with a new air quality model, that confirms […]

South Africa’s glorious indigenous flowers are currently on display at the ‘Witness’ Garden Show in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. LORRAINE SCHOLFIELD captured these stunning photos at the show – the country’s largest – yesterday… The Mascor stand at the show, with strelitzias. Three different kinds of Proteas Different coloured clivias Yellow osteospermums Orange Lampranthus (vygie) Specially for those who celebrate ‘Braai […]

Jamie Joseph, founder of Saving the Wild, has issued a statement regarding the postponement of yesterday’s much anticipated trial of alleged rhino poaching kingpin Dumisani Gwala. The trial was due to begin Monday but was yesterday postponed until 19 September 2016. Jamie’s statement said: “Gwala, who is believed to be responsible for as much as 80% […]

For those like Tyron Cameron – whose video of missing out on the tornado in his hometown of Benoni while he’s in the UK went viral – here are some of the videos and photos you may have missed in the last week of wild weather in South Africa… First came the snow which covered the […]

Coca-Cola South Africa have stepped up to the challenge set by Durban resident Richard McLennan to help clean up local beaches after heavy rains earlier this week caused plastic pollution to wash ashore. Richard was horrified by the pollution – which included many coke bottles – and subsequently sent a message publically to Coke on Facebook saying “local […]

When Durban resident Richard McLennan posted a message to Coca-Cola on Facebook yesterday, he couldn’t have expected a better response. Following the devastating floods in KwaZulu-Natal this week – which caused debris from the ocean to be washed ashore, including many plastic coke bottles – Richard reached out to the soft drink company through social media. […]

The ‘We are South Africa’ video concept was formulated a couple of years ago to showcase some of the many aspects of South Africa. I see the world in SA! From the people that live here, to the minerals, landscapes and biodiversity… But there is an underlying political tone that instead of trying to bring all South […]

On a crisp Saturday morning early in June, 100 kayakers set out to paddle across the Cape Peninsula, from False Bay to Table Bay. Their primary mission: To raise public awareness of the city’s waterways and canals, and to show the public’s connection to them. The route for the Peninsula Paddle team – kayakers and stand-up paddle boarders doing […]

Plastic pollution – particularly in the oceans around Africa – will thank goodness be in the spotlight during a two-day event in Port Elizabeth this July. Just this week, Durban was forced to temporarily close its beaches as piles of pollution and debris washed up on shore, and in the Western Cape seals have been seen caught […]

Visitors to the famous Sunland Big Baobab tree in Modjadjiskloof (formerly Duiwelskloof), have been upset recently to discover that one of the branches from the possibly 6,000-year-old tree has broken. The legendary 22-metre-high tree, in Limpopo Province, South Africa, holds the record for being the widest of its species; so wide in fact, at 47 metres in circumference, that there’s […]