S3 E5- Conservation News 06-06-2023 with Simon Borchert, Shannon Elizabeth & Peter Borchert

Joseph “Big Joe” Nyalungu is once again in police custody. The alleged notorious rhino poaching kingpin is back behind bars after a high speed chase with law enforcement officers in Hoedspruit, a small ton just outside of South Africa’s Kruger National Park. Image taken after a previous arrest and successful bail hearing.

Poaching kingpin arrested.

A recent report highlights the dynamic nature of global rhino horn seizures, with interesting results. With COVID having little impact on the size and frequency of seizures, we ask, yet again, why are we not inspecting and accounting for stockpiled rhino horn?

Poached rhino horn transport is changing. Transit routes are evolving but what is influencing this?

Yet another article about the claimed values of trophy hunting ignores the consistent fight to deregulate these industries, rather than supporting regulations that would hold the industry accountable and measurable in their social and environmental claims.

More than half of the world’s rhinos are now in private hands. But could this finally expedite much needed integration of interdisciplinary business models and break the monotony of current conservation arguments in generating desperately needed conservation revenues? We hope so.

And… ever wondered about a rhino’s fart…? Wonder no more…