The fight to bring a deadly illegal industry to justice
Modern investigative techniques used to solve human crimes are now helping to catch wildlife poachers, smugglers and traffickers. Léa Surugue investigates...
25 Sep, 2019
Africa’s first investigative environmental journalism unit
Combining traditional investigative reporting with data analysis and geo-mapping to expose eco-offences and track organised criminal syndicates in southern Africa
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Son of Frelimo war veteran arrested in possession of rhino horns
News of the arrest of Lucílio Matsinhe was received with shock because he is the son of a 'liberator of the homeland' and former minister of security. Nazira Suleimane reports
02 Oct, 2019
Strange (non)case of pangolin killings in Mozambique
An apparently open-and-shut case of pangolin poaching and torture hit a brick wall when it got to court. Ed Stoddard investigates
14 Oct, 2019
Strange (non)case of pangolin killings in Mozambique
An apparently open-and-shut case of pangolin poaching and torture hit a brick wall when it got to court. Ed Stoddard investigates
14 Oct, 2019
Son of Frelimo war veteran arrested in possession of rhino horns
News of the arrest of Lucílio Matsinhe was received with shock because he is the son of a 'liberator of the homeland' and former minister of security. Nazira Suleimane reports
02 Oct, 2019
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Elephant carcasses pile up amid conservation tensions in Niassa
Rangers on the ground say a tug of war among decision makers is exposing Mozambique’s largest national reserve to poachers and ivory traffickers. Estacio Valoi investigates...
12 Sep, 2019 -
Inside the temple of trade
Thousands of euros change hands at reptile trade fairs, but it's hard to tell if the deals are legal or not. Rudi Bressa investigates...
02 Aug, 2019 -
Tech solutions for rhino trade
Roxanne Joseph investigates how the online illegal trade of rhino horn works, and how innovative technology is being used to disrupt the market ...
01 Aug, 2019 -
How we (almost) became reptile smugglers
Cyberspace provides an anonymous, versatile marketplace for illegal wildlife trade. Rudi Bressa investigates how easy it is to set up illicit deals from Italy...
30 Jul, 2019 -
Curbing consumption of pangolins
Use of pangolins for bushmeat and African traditional medicine is complicated by the growing, unsustainable demand for scales from Asia. Alexis Kriel investigates...
05 Jul, 2019 -
Non-compliance in water use: who takes the blame?
New report exposes ‘gross violations’ of water permit regulations by eight coal mines in Mpumalanga. Andiswa Matikinca investigates...
03 Jul, 2019 -
How Chinese Flying Money ‘finances’ illegal wildlife trade
Feiqian is the single biggest obstacle in investigating organised wildlife trafficking and related crimes, a year-long investigation by John Grobler established...
28 Jun, 2019 -
Europe’s eggheads drive the demise of ‘king of parrots’
In a sophisticated laundering scheme, traffickers fly the eggs to Europe, incubate them and pass off the live birds as captive-bred. Denise Hruby investigates...
10 Jun, 2019 -
Preserving pangolins in South Asia
Pangolin populations across South Asia are endangered by a huge trade in animal parts supplying the appetite for Chinese traditional medicine...
10 Jun, 2019 -
On the trail of Mali’s dangerous donkey traffickers
Mali restricted the sale and slaughter of donkeys for skins in 2016, so syndicates have turned to smuggling stolen animals to Ghana. Oscar Nkala investigates...
28 May, 2019 -
Sweeping water permit violations at mines across SA
New data reveals a radical increase in the number of mines flouting water regulations. Mark Olalde & Andiswa Matikinca investigate...
17 May, 2019 -
Clipping the wings of Italy’s bird poachers
More than five million birds are hunted illegally in Italy every year – by far the most in Europe. Matteo Civillini investigates efforts to crack down on offenders...
15 May, 2019 -
Africa’s pangolins caught in ‘the perfect storm’
Recent seizures of huge amounts of scales have turned Nigeria into Africa’s key illegal pangolin exporting country. Alexis Kriel investigates what is driving the trade...
06 May, 2019 -
Mining opponents operate in ‘environment of fear’
'We know our lives are in danger': Attacks on anti-mining activists and environmental defenders documented in a new report. Andiswa Matikinca investigates...
16 Apr, 2019 -
Millions of UN dollars fail to reach villages fighting to survive in Mozambique
Estácio Valoi exposes how the failure of UNDP funding intended to combat environmental destruction left Mozambican communities to battle cyclones, floods and drought alone...
29 Mar, 2019 -
Oxpeckers investigation wins Asian journalism award
Transnational investigation into abalone smuggling from South Africa to China wins at Asian Environmental Journalism Awards...
22 Mar, 2019 -
Richtersveld diamond deal leaves locals with the dirt
Tensions mount in the diamond-rich Richtersveld after the sale of mines by Trans Hex left a multi-million-rand rehabilitation debt. Yolandi Groenewald investigates...
18 Mar, 2019 -
Exposing the abalone-rhino poaching links
John Grobler investigates the overlap between abalone and rhino horn smuggling syndicates operating between South Africa, Namibia and Hong Kong...
08 Mar, 2019 -
Namibia starts controversial hyena cull to save its wild horses
Shooting hyenas to save wild horses raises heated debate about interventions between endemic wildlife and ‘feral’ animals. Linda Baker investigates...
26 Feb, 2019 -
Dynamic data discovery: The future of detecting wildlife cybercrime
Being able to identify online transactions and conversations involving vulnerable species will assist in the fight against wildlife trafficking. Roxanne Joseph reports...
04 Feb, 2019 -
Digital tool tracks Europe’s role in illegal wildlife trade
Our digital geojournalism tool #WildEye gives easy access to data on seizures, arrests, court cases and convictions related to wildlife crime in Europe...
28 Jan, 2019
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