A farm in Dafeng, China was the site of a greenhouse containing one million or more cockroaches. They were intended for use in traditional Chinese ‘medicine’, because of the belief extracts from them can be healing. However, the greenhouse was damaged and its contents loosed by a saboteur. Raising cockroaches for ‘medicine’ seems like a
There seems to be no end in sight to the continuing slaughter of South Africa’s iconic rhinos, as the Department of Environmental Affairs stated this week that 220 rhinos have been killed so far this year. 146 suspects have been arrested, and the majority (207) of the killings are concentrated in Kruger National Park, and
South African National Parks (SANParks) has confirmed that at least 54 of the country’s rhinos have been killed since the start of 2012. Of these, 26 were massacred in the famed Kruger National Park. Although five arrests were reportedly made earlier this week and three people were jailed earlier this month, none of these suspects
© naturepl.com / Mark Carwardine / WWF An announcement made today by WWF confirms that 2011’s rhino death toll in South Africa reached a record-breaking 448. Of the 448 rhinos murdered for their horns, 19 were critically endangered black rhinos. 252 of the rhino killings occurred in Kruger National Park, where eight rhinos were found
There is still no end in sight to the rhino massacre in South Africa, as this year’s body count has now exceeded 400, surpassing the 2010 death toll of 333. Although arrests for rhino crimes have also increased, South Africa’s conviction rate is abysmally low: Less than five percent. According to The Telegraph, 229 of
This week, a large rhino horn seizure in Hong Kong may provide clues to a rhino horn supplier network – if DNA sampling requests are fulfilled. Meanwhile, a contingency of rhino ranchers in South Africa continue their crusade to profit (legally) from the rhino crisis. Cape Town shipment On Tuesday, customs officials in Hong Kong
EXTINCT: Vietnam’s last rhino was a victim of the illegal rhino horn trade. Photo © WWF-Greater Mekong WWF and the International Rhino Foundation (IRF) have confirmed the extinction of the Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus annamiticus) in Vietnam. DNA match On April 29th, 2010, the body of a female Javan rhino was found in Cat Tien
Customs officials in Thailand have rescued nearly 100 pangolins from certain death.
Global efforts to dispel the notion of rhino horn’s alleged medicinal properties are noticeably on the rise – perfect timing as we head into the week before World Rhino Day.
New York has joined a growing global movement to stop the plundering of bears for traditional Chinese medicines by enacting a law that prohibits the sale and transport of bear gallbladders.
