Open access data on East Africa’s rangelands

February 7, 2022

Rangelands cover more than 30% of the world’s terrestrial surface, supporting billions of people and nearly half of all livestock, and sustains biodiversity and vital ecosystem services. Yet many rangelands are undergoing radical social and ecological transitions. The upcoming 'UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration' aims to prevent, halt, and reverse the degradation of ecosystems worldwide. The question is ... Read full story

Endangered Ethiopian wolf pups born in recovering grasslands

January 28, 2022

Since its inception, WildCRU’s Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme has been dedicated to saving the endangered Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis) from extinction, and protecting its Afroalpine home. Found only in a few isolated mountain enclaves in Ethiopia, the 500 or so remaining wolves face overwhelming pressure from habitat loss and the spread of disease by ... Read full story

Groundbreaking results published in Nature: mecC-MRSA was present in hedgehogs long before the discovery of antibiotics!

January 5, 2022

The discovery of antibiotics more than 80 years ago has led to significant improvements in human and animal health. But every time a new antibiotic was put into use, the bacteria quickly responded by becoming resistant. Therefore, until now, it has been assumed that resistance in disease-causing bacteria is a modern phenomenon driven by clinical ... Read full story

Lions May Be Targeting Giraffes with Skin Disease

February 1, 2022

A new study by a team at WildCRU has explored potential connections between lion predation and Giraffe Skin Disease (GSD). This is an emergent disease of presently unknown causes, which has been found to affect giraffes both in the wild and in captivity. The disease manifests as large flaky skin lesions that appear to irritate ... Read full story

Promoting coexistence between humans and lions, the effectiveness of the Long Shields Programme in limiting livestock depredation by lions in northwestern Zimbabwe

January 12, 2022

A study led by WildCRU’s Dr Lovemore Sibanda recently published in Oryx international Journal, assessed the long-term efficacy of the Long Shields Community Guardians programme, part of the Trans-Kalahari Predator Programme: a community-based initiative in northwestern Zimbabwe that seeks to protect livestock and prevent depredation by lions through non-lethal means (e.g., chasing lions), ... Read full story

Success in Patagonia

January 4, 2022

More exciting news, writes David Macdonald, who has recently heard from WildCRU alumna Dr. Laura Fasola, known as Lali. Lali was part of the WildCRU team during her PhD studies of the interactions between endangered Southern River otter and the invasive American mink in Argentinean Patagonia (2005-2008). Thereafter she remained as WidCRU’s expert in ... Read full story