http://www.southernafricadirect.com/news/Latest entriesen-gbWed, 01 Apr 2009 11:12:005Southern Africa Direct Africa is once again proving to be a gift to the natural world. Mount Mabu in Mozambique was an untouched paradise until a team of scientists explored it a few months ago. The previously unmapped forest is a conservationist's dream and have yielded rare species of birds, reptiles and insects, some of which are found nowhere else. Scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in the UK recently led the first expedition to Mount Mabu in central Mozambique. The world-renowned botanical authority works with the Mozambican government, among others, to combat the threat of rapid development to sensitive areas by identifying priority areas for conservation. http://www.southernafricadirect.com/news/entries/2009-04-01/mozambiques-unmapped-mount-mabu-explored.html Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:12:00 Southern Africa Direct is passionate about supporting the conservation of threatened species and ecosystems in Southern Africa and has teamed up with the Endangered Wildlife Trust of South Africa to promote the message.   http://www.southernafricadirect.com/news/entries/2009-03-23/conserving-southern-africa-for-the-future.html Mon, 23 Mar 2009 16:00:00 Over a dozen previously unknown new reptile and amphibian species have been discovered in the rainforests of eastern Tanzania, a region known for its rich biodiversity. This is according to a report recently published in the Italian scientific journal Acta Herpetologica, titled "The Nguru Mountains of Tanzania, an outstanding hotspot of herpetofaunal diversity". http://www.southernafricadirect.com/news/entries/2009-01-31/new-species-discovered-in-tanzania.html Sat, 31 Jan 2009 11:35:00 Africa's critically endangered gorillas are to receive a welcome conservation boost with the announcement by the United Nations and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (Waza) that 2009 is the Year of the Gorilla. Waza is partnering with the Unesco Great Ape Survival Partnership (Grasp) and the United Nations environmental programme's Convention of Migratory Species (CMS) to address both the needs of the world's largest primates, and the people who live in regions where they occur. http://www.southernafricadirect.com/news/entries/2009-01-09/2009-is-the-year-of-the-gorilla.html Fri, 09 Jan 2009 10:10:00 UK-based company i-to-i have announced new gap year options in Africa for travelers looking to give back while they travel. Volunteers can choose to work with animal rescue centres in South Africa, work with Aids orphans in Kenya, teach children in Tanzania or get involved with wildlife conservation in Uganda. Traditionally gap years have been taken as a reward for finishing high school and a break from 14-years of continuous education. However, in this ever-changing world gap years are also changing. Graduates are taking time out before entering the world of work and people of all ages are choosing to take a break from their Careers as the pace of life quickens and wanderlust grows. http://www.southernafricadirect.com/news/entries/2008-11-27/new_gap_year_opportunities_in_africa.html Tue, 25 Nov 2008 15:28:00 The winners of this year's Wildlife Photographer of the year, organised by the Natural History Museum and BBC Wildlife magazine, have been announced and once again there are many shots captured in Southern Africa among the winning photographs.   http://www.southernafricadirect.com/news/entries/2008-10-28/southern_africa_delivers_winning_wildlife_shots.html Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:12:00 Five Southern African countries – Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe – are working together to establish what will be the biggest conservation area in the world. The new nature park will be almost the size of Italy and will cover an area of 287 132 square kilometres, which is 14 times that of the Kruger Park, itself the largest national park in South Africa and one of the biggest in Africa. http://www.southernafricadirect.com/news/entries/2008-10-21/the_largest_safari_park_in_the_world.html Tue, 21 Oct 2008 15:33:00 South African marine conservation is once more under the international spotlight with Nandi, the jet-setting manta ray, who is settling into her new home at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, US. Nandi was injured in a shark net while still a youngster and was nursed back to health at uShaka Marine World in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Now her new caretakers hope that she will continue to be an ambassador for the vulnerable manta ray (Manta birostris) species. http://www.southernafricadirect.com/news/entries/2008-11-03/nandi_the_manta_a_hit_in_atlanta.html Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:06:00 The first ivory auction in Southern Africa in a decade took place in October 2008 in Namibia, with the intention of raising funds for conservation. The United Nations-backed Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) granted permission in 2007 for four auctions to take place in Southern Africa in 2008. http://www.southernafricadirect.com/news/entries/2008-10-28/ivory_sales_help_elephants.html Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:26:00 With only four northern white rhinos left in the wild, the fight is on to save one of the world’s rarest animals from dying out. Now a special cloning technique may provide the answer to this desperate situation. The northern white or northern square-lipped rhino (Ceratotherium simum cottoni) is one of two subspecies of white rhino – the other one is the southern white rhino. The handful of remaining animals is located in the Garamba National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo. http://www.southernafricadirect.com/news/entries/2008-07-04/saving_the_white_rhino.html Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:48:00