Eastern chimpanzee in Chinko Nature Reserve in the Central African Republic One of Africa ‘s largest nature reserves, home to thousands of endangered animals and once plagued by heavily-armed poachers, has been expanded and placed under long-term protection. A 25-year partnership was announced today between the non-profit African Parks and the government of the Central African Republic (CAR) which covers 5.5m hectares of the Chinko basin — an area twice the size of Massachusetts. The area is a rich biodiversity hotspot of both savannah and rainforests and its two major rivers form a crucial freshwater system. It is the only refuge for African wild dogs in the region and has a large population of Eastern chimpanzees, Eastern giant elands, elephants and big cats including Northern lions. The area is also home to all four species of African pangolins , the world’s most trafficked animal. The illegal trade in pangolins had been linked to the coronavirus outbreak and although studies have shown that they are unlikely to have been involved in the transmission of Covid-19, the species are known to be natural hosts of coronaviruses. In the past, the Chinko landscape has faced threats from militarised poachers who have decimated […]

Latest Articles
Total Buys Stake in Adani Green Energy, World’s Biggest Solar Developer
Adani won a huge 8 GW tender in India last June. (Credit: Adani Renewables) Total is aiming for 35 GW of operational renewable...
New Electric Car Battery Charges in Just Five Minutes
Hot Minute A factory in China has manufactured a car battery that can be charged completely in just five minutes, The Guardian reports...
Simple change to fishing gear saves thousands of birds in Namibia
A cheap and simple change to the equipment used by Namibian fishing boats is saving tens of thousands of vulnerable seabirds annually, researchers...
Global sales of electric cars accelerate fast in 2020 despite pandemic
Global sales of electric cars accelerated fast in 2020, rising by 43% to more than 3m, despite overall car sales slumping by a...
New Black and Orange Bat Species Discovered in West Africa
A new species of bat has been identified in West Africa. MYOTIS NIMBAENSIS / BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL In 2018, a team of researchers...
EU Aims to Curb Carbon Footprint via Breakthrough in Space Program
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and German ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst stand at the Orion spacecraft during a visit at the training unit of...