Germany was bracing for panda mania as furry ambassadors arrive from China on Saturday, destined for a new life as stars of Berlin’s premier zoo. The pair, named Meng Meng and Jiao Qing, will be jetting in on a special Lufthansa cargo plane, accompanied by two Chinese panda specialists, the Berlin Zoo’s chief vet and … Read more
All hell broke loose as the one-horned rhino stepped out of the crate, the powerful male charging elephant-mounted mahouts relocating him to a new home in Nepal’s far west in the hope of shoring up the vulnerable species. The cantankerous male — whose single horn keeps him in the crosshairs of wildlife poachers — is … Read more
Conservationists on Monday captured a rare one-horned rhinoceros in Nepal as part of an attempt to increase the number of the vulnerable animals, which are prized by wildlife poachers. Five rhinos — one male and four female — will be released into a national park in Nepal’s far west over the coming week in the … Read more
AFP’s photographer in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, Abdullah Doma, was detained late Saturday for the second time in several days by security services there, his family said. Doma had been released on Wednesday night after being held for 24 hours over his coverage of a public concert to mark Earth Hour. Security services … Read more
AFP’s photographer in the Libyan city of Benghazi, Abdullah Doma, has been arrested at his home by the security services of eastern Libya, his family said Wednesday. Security services raided Doma’s home overnight and told the family he was to be questioned over his photo coverage for AFP of an Earth Hour event. Two organisers … Read more
Sydney’s Opera House and the Harbour Bridge plunged into darkness to mark Earth Hour on Saturday night, but it seems the remainder of the city didn’t get the memo. The event originated in Sydney in 2007 with 2.2 million people and 2,100 businesses switching off their lights for 60 minutes in a bid to highlight climate … Read more
Sydney’s Opera House and Harbour Bridge plunged into darkness Saturday to mark Earth Hour, as global landmarks began dimming their lights to draw attention to climate change. Millions of people from some 170 countries and territories are expected to take part in the annual bid to highlight global warming caused by the burning of coal, … Read more
Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is experiencing an unprecedented second straight year of mass coral bleaching, scientists said Friday, warning many species would struggle to fully recover. The 2,300-kilometre (1,400-mile) reef suffered its most severe bleaching on record last year due to warming sea temperatures during March and April. Bleaching is once again occurring, the government’s … Read more
China has announced a ban on all ivory trade and processing activities by the end of 2017. Conservation groups hailed the decision as “historic” and a “game-changer” for the future of elephants. The move follows a resolution at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) in South Africa in October. China has the … Read more
Johannesburg (AFP) – Delegates at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in Johannesburg voted Wednesday to ban all trade of the endangered pangolin, the world’s most heavily trafficked mammal. All eight species of pangolin are set to be moved into CITES’ highest category of protection, which bans all international trade in animals … Read more
Johannesburg (AFP) – The shy, scale-covered pangolin is to receive the highest level of protection against illegal trade to try to save it from extinction, after a vote Wednesday by delegates at a global conference. The reclusive, gentle mammal is prized as an edible delicacy and ingredient in traditional medicine, especially in China and Vietnam … Read more