The Art Of Conservation Simon Borchert & Shannon Elizabeth

We recap the vicuna vs rhino horn trade debate from episode 6.National Geographic cut all staff writers – and no-one is happy about it.Rhino stockpiles were raided in South Africa. Can't say we didn't see this coming... And again it's an inside job. New York DEC puts confiscated ivory on display, but is it a good idea?Conservation struggles in UK and Scotland, illustrating again that the challenge is indeed global.GEF launches new fund that raises hope, but will the funds get to those wh...

The trade in the South American vicūna is often used as an example of how lifting trade bans can help people and animals alike, but is it a fair comparison for the rhino horn trade debate? Namibia is planning a mass dehorning. Is the government of that country bolstering rhino horn stockpiles ahead of their next effort to open trade? A recent study answers the question of what impact does dehorning have on rhino behavior. Rhino poaching gang sentenced to terms ranging from 16-20 ye...

Poaching kingpin arrested.A recent report highlights the dynamic nature of global rhino horn seizures, with interesting results. With COVID having little impact on the size and frequency of seizures, we ask, yet again, why are we not inspecting and accounting for stockpiled rhino horn?Poached rhino horn transport is changing. Transit routes are evolving but what is influencing this?Yet another article about the claimed values of trophy hunting ignores the consistent fight to deregulate these ...

A break through in the rhino poaching crisis with an arrest in South Africa’s eastern cape province. What will it mean to poaching activity in the area?Do new game fences work to slow poaching? We question the recent investments in new security fences to protect rhino. A recent and seemingly bizarre series of events has seen a dramatic intervention with the new proposed changes to TOPS (Threatened Or Protected Species) regulations. What actually happened and what does it mean for conserv...

Episode 2 of this season attracted a lot of interest and comment, we answer your questions in this episode:The Platinum Rhino auction fails to solicit a successful bidder – what’s next for Hume and his rhino? We give the updates.Rhino Horn trade is unlikely, but the current revenue models are also flawed – what are the challenges in innovating a new approach where renewables, carbon markets, ESG investments and the like are combined? Why is trade so challenging, surely we can flood the m...

With the world’s largest rhino breeding facility up for auction, the team discusses the potential outfall of this huge event.Love him or hate him, John Hume plays an important role in rhino conservation. His often brash commitment to opening rhino horn trade has no doubt contributed to the divisiveness in rhino conservation., but one thing that cannot be denied is his success in breeding rhino on an enormous scale. With public opinion divided as ever, it is important to understand how w...