Botswana defends decision to lift elephant hunting ban

Botswana has just announced the lifting of the ban on elephant hunting, a highly criticized international measure rooted in the many human-animal conflicts in this rural southern African country.

Singapore said it had seized 9.7 tons of elephant ivory, a record haul by authorities in the city-state, which conservation groups said is a transit point for the illegal wildlife trade.

From September 2021, Singapore will ban local sales of ivory, removing a key end-market for the valuable material. Some 100 African elephants are estimated to be killed each day by poachers who want their tusks.

Already tagged Nigeria’s commercial capital – Lagos State says it is now on a mission to seal a spot as the country’s technology and innovation hub. CNBC Africa's Christy Cole spoke to Special Assistant to Lagos State Governor on Technology and Innovation, Olatunbosun Alake, that Lagos is making moves to remove communication barriers between the state and its tech ecosystem as well as turbo-charge levers of innovation within the state.

Gin made a comeback some years ago with small distilleries springing up everywhere. Not least in South Africa, which is increasingly becoming the place to go for gin-lovers. Amongst the new versions constantly coming onto the market, one stands out.

Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in northern Kenya is one of few reserves to employ women, elephant keepers. Here, in East Africa's first community-owned and run elephant sanctuary, workers rescue, rehabilitate and 'rewild' orphaned and abandoned elephant calves.

A pregnant elephant was killed in India after eating fruit stuffed with explosives, officials said Wednesday, sparking outrage over the use of such traps to protect crops and homes. The wild elephant strayed into a village near Silent Valley National Park in south Kerala state last Wednesday when it ate the rigged fruit -- believed to be a pineapple -- which exploded and severely injured its mouth, officials said.

Kenya's elephant population has more than doubled from 1989 to today, its wildlife service announced at an event marking World Elephant Day. Tourism Minister Najib Balala said authorities have "managed to tame poaching."

Upwards of 300 elephants died in the Southern African country this year, baffling and alarming conservationists. After months of research, government officials say they have identified the cause.

In the past decade, the number of elephants in East Africa has almost halved. But Kenyan authorities say the country's pachyderm population has actually doubled since 1989. Kenya is setting the example in the fight against poaching and now has around 35,000 elephants. Reserves have had to adapt and step up security. But while ivory hunters are no longer such a threat, conservation groups are worried by cohabitation between wild animals and local communities, which can prove difficult. But even here, things are improving. Our correspondents report from Kenya's Laikipia County.

With musical performances and heartfelt messages, Pakistanis said their final goodbyes to the country's only Asian elephant ahead of a planned move to Cambodia following a years-long campaign by animal rights activists for his relocation.

A 35-year-old elephant has been transferred to a wildlife sanctuary in Cambodia after his miserable condition at an Islamabad zoo sparked a global outcry. American singer Cher campaigned for his freedom for years.