VOLUME 66
By Zig Mackintosh When we think of wildlife conservation, we often envision vast national parks, multimillion-dollar budgets, and international organizations with large teams of researchers. However, some of the most powerful conservation stories are written by small-time operators working with limited resources, big hearts, and an unshakeable belief in their
VOLUME 66
In European capitals, policymakers debate the ethics of hunting in Africa while animal rights activists condemn any form of wildlife utilization. Yet walk into any upscale restaurant in Paris, Berlin, or Vienna, and you'll find venison, wild boar, and game birds prominently featured on the menu. Visit a
VOLUME 65
By Prof Brian Child Key Takeaways: * Wildlife has been miscast as a public good. * The governance regimes for wild resources no longer match their economic characteristics. * Treating wild species as public goods results in an inequitable allocation of costs and benefits. * Benefits are global, but costs are local. * Rhino owners
VOLUME 65
By Dr Daniel Stiles Captive big cat collections from around the world, among the poaching threats now facing big cats, are being hoovered up by one mega-zoo in India that calls itself Vantara – ‘Star of the Forest’ in Hindi. Looking only at five big cat species that are held both
VOLUME 65
In the northwestern waters of Lake Victoria, 84 islands tell a story of paradise vanishing. These are the Ssese Islands in Uganda, Africa, where 66,000 people reside at the intersection of economic development and environmental distress. The largest island, Bugala, stretches over 40 kilometers. For generations, the Baganda people
VOLUME 65
The Phalaborwa Natural Heritage Foundation (PNHF) is a non-profit organization based in Phalaborwa, South Africa, situated on the border of the Kruger National Park. Phalaborwa is uniquely positioned as the only town with a gate into Kruger National Park within its town limits. PNHF focuses on assisting nature reserves with
VOLUME 64
By Zig Mackintosh In a sea of environmental organizations, green movements and snake-oil salesmen, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) stands out as the most credible and principled. However. The IUCN World Conservation Congress was held in Abu Dhabi in October 2025. Nearly 10,000 participants from 189
VOLUME 64
Wildlife needs three things to survive: food, water, and protection. The Lugenda Wildlife Reserve (LUWIRE) within the Niassa Special Reserve in Northern Mozambique, Africa, had plenty of the first two but lacked the third. When Derek Littleton arrived in the area, the first thing he did was establish a small
VOLUME 64
The Phalaborwa Natural Heritage Foundation (PNHF) is based in the town of Phalaborwa on the border of the Kruger National Park in South Africa. The non-profit was started in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, and initially, it focused on assisting with snare removals from live animals. As it grew, it
VOLUME 64
Key Takeaways: * Wildlife in the savannas of Northern Cameroon is being decimated. * The region is facing a myriad of threats from pastoralists to poachers. * Hunting concessions comprise about 70% of the massive Bénoué Complex (23,394 km² in extent). * The financial burden of protecting wildlife falls almost entirely on hunting
VOLUME 63
By Zig Mackintosh Key Takeaways: * African Conservation is caught in the crossfire of competing worldviews. * Western values center around preservation. * Animal rights groups believe that animals are sentient beings that deserve rights comparable to those of humans. * The “conservation through utilization” principle advocates assigning economic value to wildlife. * Rural African
VOLUME 63
Along the eastern shores of Lake Albert in western Uganda's Hoima District lies a wilderness area you've probably never heard of. The Kabwoya Wildlife Reserve stands as the only ecologically intact savannah along a 200-kilometer stretch of lakeshore. Established initially as a controlled hunting area in