Killing without proof — the hidden motives behind Madikwe’s elephant cull plans

by Adam Cruise | Sep 18, 2025 | Commentary

By Adam Cruise – Daily Maverick Claims of ‘overpopulation’ sound less like science and more like a cover for old practices dressed in ecological rhetoric. Elephants in fenced reserves, like Madikwe in North West, have become a lightning rod in South Africa....

Elephant extinction could threaten everything from rainforests to musical instruments

by Adam Cruise | Aug 29, 2025 | Studies

By Alison Hewitt, University of California, Los Angeles When Taylor Guitars acquired an ebony mill in Cameroon to supply wood for their renowned acoustic guitars, owner Bob Taylor wanted to give back by planting new trees, even knowing they could take 60–200 years to...

Elephants and humans at risk — deaths, disinformation and a search for solutions

by Adam Cruise | Aug 29, 2025 | News

By Don Pinnock – Daily Maverick As delegates at a two-day indaba reached for solutions to human-elephant conflict, there were many who were happy to reach for their guns. At the Southern African Elephant Indaba at Bonamanzi Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal last...

Killing without counting — South Africa’s elephant conflict debate lacks data

by Adam Cruise | Aug 29, 2025 | Commentary

By Adam Cruise – Daily Maverick Culling, hunting and quick-fix solutions dominate policy talk, but without reliable national figures on human-elephant conflict, South Africa risks sacrificing both elephants and communities to politics and profit. South Africa...

Madikwe crisis — NSPCA and DA accuse North West Parks of trying to raise revenue on elephant misery

by Adam Cruise | Aug 20, 2025 | Commentary

By Don Pinnock – Daily Maverick A slow-burning tragedy is unfolding at Madikwe Game Reserve in North West and the grind of counter-accusations has the look of a fight between enraged rhinos. Meanwhile, elephants are being lined up to be shot. The NSPCA...