Oxpeckers

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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LATEST INVESTIGATIONS

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
Oxpeckers Reporters
01 Aug, 2019

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
Oxpeckers Reporters
12 Sep, 2019

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
Oxpeckers Reporters
12 Sep, 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
Oxpeckers Reporters
01 Aug, 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
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
What is free, prior & informed consent for mining?

The Western majoritarian view does not work when consulting mining-affected communities such as Xolobeni, reports Andiswa Matikinca...
24 Jan, 2019
The world’s largest ‘paper park’

Six years and €50-million since its creation, Oscar Nkala visits the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area to find out what impact it has had on wildlife and communities...
14 Dec, 2018
SA sets hard rules at COP24

South Africa and its allies at the COP24 climate negotiations are pushing for a strong rulebook on the Paris Agreement. Yolandi Groenewald reports from Katowice...
13 Dec, 2018