We are heartbroken to report the poaching of a two black rhinos in northwest Namibia where our project partners Save the Rhino Trust (SRT) operate. Tragically, the slain adult female rhino was pregnant, and after an intensive search operation from the tracking team, her two-year-old calf was also found nearby, shot in cold blood like her mother. Both rhinos had their horns removed, destined for the illegal wildlife trade that drives this senseless killing. This is a brutal reminder of the poaching threat still faced by rhinos in Namibia and across southern Africa. The sad reality is, with less than 7,000 black rhinos left in the wild, and poaching rampant in South Africa and Namibia, rhinos are being pushed closer to extinction. In 2024 alone, over 500 rhinos were poached in South Africa and Namibia, and Africa’s rhino population fell by 6.7%. Our hearts go out to our project partners who are dealing with this dreadful loss despite their tireless commitment to protecting rhinos. Covering over 55,000 kilometers on foot annually, in hot and arid conditions, the ranger teams in Kunene, north-west Namibia, have had huge success in reducing rhino poaching in the area, in contrast to the rest of Namibia. After a record poaching year in 2014, when 18 rhinos were killed in the project area, the subsequent years have marked a steady decline in poaching thanks to the dedication of the DSWF supported ranger teams, and there was a 40-month period between 2020-2024 when no rhinos were poached at all. Sadly, poaching in the area is on the rise again, as this shocking incident sadly highlights. Faced with multiple other threats, including drought, mining exploration, and habitat loss, the black rhino population in north-west Namibia will not be able to withstand a poaching epidemic. Melanie Shepherd, DSWF’s Chair of Trustees recently visited SRT in Namibia and expressed her profound sadness at this awful news: “Having had the privilege of tracking a female black rhino and her calf less than four weeks ago in Namibia with Save the Rhino Trust I was shattered to hear the heartbreaking news this morning of her slaughter at the hands of brutal poachers. These killings must stop and we all need to continue to support the great work of SRT before these magnificent and rare creatures disappear forever. As my father, David Shepherd, always said, ‘tomorrow will be too late.’” (fb)

High in the mountains of Central Asia, the ghost of the mountains moves silently across ridgelines dusted with snow, at most a fleeting shadow in a vast wilderness. The snow leopard is one of the world’s most enigmatic big cats. Perfectly adapted to life above the clouds, it remains a symbol of wild beauty. Yet fewer than 7,000 are thought to survive in the wild today. Through our field partners, David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) is helping to uncover their hidden world and secure their future. 🐾 Pioneering research is revealing incredible new insights into how snow leopards live and move. 🏔️ Predator-proof corrals are reducing conflict and protecting both livestock and livelihoods. 💚 Community-led conservation is proving that people and wildlife can thrive together. Every discovery brings us closer to understanding this extraordinary species and safeguarding its wild future. 🌍 This World Snow Leopard Day, join us to keep the ghost of the mountains roaming wild and free. Click the link to discover more or support our work 🔗 https://davidshepherd.org/species/snow-leopards/how-we-help/?fbclid=IwVERFWANm5qlleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHtNn_030KjPgAGCrfqDokTpQFEkTBUSwoC9xEqBl45IktYqDVq904T41h9N5_aem_yiIwIILpeFYrpoHDfihZOg . . . #GhostOfTheMountains #DSWF #ConservationInAction #ActForWildlife #BigCats #WorldSnowLeopardDay #SaveTheSnowLeopards (fb)