Author: Chukwu Godlove
According to new satellite data, the world’s tropical forests – vital buffers against climate change – vanished at an unprecedented rate in 2024. Researchers found that 67,000 sq km (26,000 sq mi) of old-growth tropical forest were lost, equivalent to the size of the Republic of Ireland or 18 football pitches every minute. Picture/WIRED Fire overtakes farming as a primary threat For the first time on record, fires became the dominant driver of forest loss, surpassing agricultural land clearances. The Amazon, already under stress, suffered acutely amid its worst drought, fuelled by climate change and the El Niño weather pattern.…
MODERATOR: Good afternoon to everyone from the U.S. Department of State’s Africa Regional Media Hub. I welcome our participants logging in from across the continent and thank all of you for joining us. Today, we are very pleased to be joined by the Senior Bureau Official for the Department of State’s Bureau of African Affairs, Ambassador Troy Fitrell. Ambassador Fitrell will review his commercial diplomacy trip to West Africa and outline the U.S. State Department’s new commercial diplomacy strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa. Joining Ambassador Fitrell in answering questions is U.S. Ambassador to Cote d’Ivoire, Ambassador Jessica Davis Ba. We will…
Some landscapes do more than just amaze you — they speak. Caves echo with old chants, mountains carry myths, and ancient rock carvings trace stories from long ago. In these places, the rocks don’t just sit there — they remember. Here are the destinations where the rocks tell the stories: Picture/Nelspruit Lodge Echo Caves – Limpopo Tucked into the escarpment near Ohrigstad lie the Echo Caves — chambers so resonant that they’re believed to “speak” when struck. For the Northern Sotho people, these caves are more than a geological curiosity; they’re a place where ancestors linger. Legend has it that…
Posted on 20 May 2025 Akagera National Park in Rwanda is preparing to receive 70 southern white rhinos from South Africa later this month. As reported by African Travel & Tourism Association, this will be the largest rhino translocation in the country’s history. Picture: Sourced This initiative, which involves a 3,400 kilometer journey, is part of a broader conservation strategy aimed at creating a stable breeding population. It is also expected to enhance Rwanda’s emerging status as a premier safari destination. ALSO READ: New home for rescued rhinos The relocation follows a similar initiative in 2021, when 30 white rhinos…
In a move that sounds more like the plot of a children’s book than a real-world conservation effort, scientists in Wales have turned to an unlikely source in their bid to save one of the UK’s most threatened mammals – edible cake glitter. Jonathan Ridley/Unsplash Why sparkles? Water voles – often mistaken for brown rats but much cuter – used to thrive in wetlands across south Wales. Today, their numbers have dwindled so drastically that they’re considered effectively extinct in most areas, says the Wildlife Trust. So conservationists are thinking outside the box. The Initiative for Nature Conservation Cymru (INCC)…
TOP hospitality concern, Rainbow Tourism Group (RTG) has undertaken major refurbishment exercises which will go a long way in sustaining the market share. Presenting a trading update for the quarter ended March 31 2025, RTG company secretary, Tapiwa Mari, said the just-ended period saw major facelifts pushing through milestones. “The group conducted the refurbishment of its three properties during the months of January and February 2025. The refurbishment works saw the New Ambassador Hotel’s guest rooms undergoing a comprehensive refurbishment, including the full replacement of furniture and fittings, as well as the upgrading of bathrooms with contemporary fixtures and enhanced…
Some people chase sunsets. I chase aardvarks. Don’t get me wrong – lions, leopards, and the rest of the celebrity safari crew are always a thrill to track down. But after years in the travel trenches, I’ve learnt that finding the most famous and iconic African animals isn’t about luck. It’s about knowing where to go, when to be there, and who to trust behind the wheel that makes for something special.The meerkat is one of the classic iconic African animals I love seeing on safariBecause “We Saw Tracks” Doesn’t Make a Great StoryThis isn’t a fluffy listicle or a…
Image: Robben Island The Robben Island Museum (RIM) is facing serious scrutiny following revelations that it operated a ferry with significant safety defects during the peak tourist season, potentially endangering passengers travelling to the UNESCO World Heritage Site. ALSO READ: Find the 10 Jewels of iSimangaliso Wetland Park An investigation by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) uncovered severe deficiencies in the ferry’s condition, raising concerns about passenger safety and the museum’s adherence to maritime regulations. The ferry in question, used to transport visitors between Cape Town and Robben Island, was found to have multiple operational shortcomings. These included inadequate maintenance, failure…
Image: Instagram / @kinoyves ‘This is the end of my journey South,’ says Yves de Preux, who has just completed a three-and-a-half year journey on the road, from France to the Southernmost point of Africa. In March, after three years behind the wheels of an e-trike, Yves reached Cape Town – his first goalpost for a whirlwind adventure from France to South Africa. Now, the YouTuber has reached the furthest and final point in his journey South, arriving in Cape Agulhas. From France to Cape Town via e-trike The adventure began in 2022, when ‘Kino Yves’ (as he is known…
Not every tourist attraction starts as one. Across South Africa, unlikely places—some forgotten, others accidental—have been reimagined into compelling stops for the curious traveller. From ghost towns to glittering cement owls, these offbeat destinations offer something a little different: a glimpse into the country’s layered, surprising past—and its flair for reinvention. The Big Hole – Kimberley (Northern Cape) Picture/The Big Hole/Facebook Once just a feverish excavation site during the 19th-century diamond rush, the Big Hole in Kimberley has transformed into a heritage marvel. Dubbed the largest hand-dug excavation in the world, it’s a staggering monument to the mania that once…