标签： Africa

The global conservation community is mourning the passing of pioneering elephant researcher Iain Douglas-Hamilton, who died at 83 in his Nairobi home on Monday. The British zoologist dedicated his life to studying and protecting African elephants, revolutionizing our understanding of these majestic creatures while facing extraordinary personal risks.

Douglas-Hamilton’s groundbreaking research exposed the catastrophic impact of poaching on elephant populations, work that proved instrumental in the international ban on ivory trade. His methodology involved meticulous documentation of individual elephants at Tanzania’s Lake Manyara National Park, where he became so familiar with herds that he could identify them by unique ear shapes and skin patterns.

Prince William, who spent time with Douglas-Hamilton in Africa, paid heartfelt tribute to the conservationist. “The memories of spending time in Africa with him will remain with me forever,” said the Prince, who serves as royal patron for Tusk, the African wildlife conservation charity where Douglas-Hamilton was an ambassador. The Prince praised him as “a man who dedicated his life to conservation and whose life’s work leaves lasting impact on our appreciation for, and understanding of, elephants.”

The aristocrat-turned-conservationist faced numerous life-threatening challenges throughout his career, including elephant charges, poacher gunfire, and a devastating flood that destroyed his Kenyan research facility in 2010. Despite these hardships, he remained unwavering in his mission, eventually becoming a leading voice in alerting the world to what he termed “an elephant holocaust.”

His advocacy efforts culminated in the 1989 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. When this agreement proved insufficient, Douglas-Hamilton successfully targeted the world’s largest ivory markets, resulting in near-total import-export bans from China and the United States in 2015.

In 1993, he established Save the Elephants, a charity dedicated to protecting the animals and advancing human understanding of their behavior. The organization’s CEO Frank Pope, also Douglas-Hamilton’s son-in-law, stated: “Iain changed the future not just for elephants, but for huge numbers of people across the globe. His courage, determination and rigour inspired everyone he met.”

Fellow conservationist Jane Goodall, featured with Douglas-Hamilton in the 2024 documentary “A Life Among Elephants,” noted that his work revealed elephants’ capacity for human-like emotions. “I think his legacy will be one of a man who did so much to help people understand how majestic, how wonderful elephants are,” Goodall remarked.

Douglas-Hamilton expressed his own vision for the future shortly before his passing: “I think my greatest hope is that there will be an ethic developed of human-elephant coexistence.” He is survived by his wife Oria, children Saba and Dudu, and six grandchildren.

NAIROBI, Kenya — The conservation world mourns the passing of Dr. Iain Douglas-Hamilton, the visionary British zoologist who revolutionized elephant protection strategies and spearheaded global efforts against ivory trafficking. The renowned conservationist died Monday in Kenya at age 83, according to his organization Save the Elephants.

Douglas-Hamilton’s pioneering work established revolutionary animal tracking methodologies, including advanced collar systems that enabled unprecedented monitoring of elephant movements and poaching patterns. His groundbreaking research during the 1980s revealed the catastrophic decline of Africa’s elephant populations—with over half eliminated within a single decade—providing critical evidence that compelled the international community to implement the 1989 ivory trade ban through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

“He never lost his lifelong curiosity about what was happening inside the minds of one of our planet’s most intriguing creatures,” remarked Frank Pope, CEO of Save the Elephants, describing Douglas-Hamilton’s unique connection to the animals he devoted his life to understanding. Colleagues remembered his characteristic enthusiasm whether observing elephants from the ground, analyzing movement maps, or conducting aerial surveys in his aircraft.

Beyond scientific contributions, Douglas-Hamilton’s advocacy extended to policy transformation, playing instrumental roles in shuttering domestic ivory markets across multiple nations during the 2010s. His work significantly influenced China’s landmark decision to close its legal ivory markets, which he acknowledged in a 2017 interview: “With the end of the legal ivory trade in China, the survival chances for elephants have distinctly improved.”

The Uganda Conservation Foundation honored his legacy of knowledge sharing and capacity building, noting he “empowered the people protecting them” while creating collaborative conservation networks. His academic credentials included degrees from Oxford University, and his work received recognition through numerous honors including Commander of the British Empire (2015) and the Esmond B. Martin Royal Geographical Society Prize awarded earlier this year.

Douglas-Hamilton’s comprehensive approach addressed all threats to elephant survival, including climate-related challenges. During Kenya’s severe 2009 drought, he documented how food scarcity weakened elephant immune systems, increasing vulnerability to disease. His conservation philosophy extended beyond protection to deep ecological understanding, captured in his co-authored books with wife Oria and the 2024 documentary “A Life Among Elephants.”

He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and six grandchildren, leaving a legacy that transformed global wildlife conservation practices and provided renewed hope for elephant species survival.

In a landmark ruling at The Hague, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has imposed a 20-year prison term on Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, the notorious Sudanese militia commander commonly known as Ali Kushayb. The 76-year-old former Janjaweed leader received his sentence from Presiding Judge Joanna Korner on Tuesday, marking the first ICC conviction specifically addressing atrocities committed during Sudan’s prolonged civil conflict.

The conviction stems from Kushayb’s October guilty verdict on 27 separate counts encompassing both war crimes and crimes against humanity. These charges specifically relate to systematic attacks conducted between 2003-2004 in Darfur, where government-backed Janjaweed militias orchestrated what international observers characterized as ethnic cleansing against non-Arab populations.

During sentencing proceedings, Judge Korner detailed how Kushayb not only issued direct orders resulting in mass atrocities but personally participated in their execution. Survivor testimonies presented during the trial described villages systematically burned, males summarily executed, and women forced into sexual slavery under Kushayb’s command. The presiding judge specifically noted his instructions to subordinates to ‘wipe out and sweep away’ non-Arab tribes and to ‘bring no one alive.’

This sentencing occurs against the troubling backdrop of renewed violence in Darfur, where many former Janjaweed combatants have now joined the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group. Current conflict between the RSF and Sudan’s national army has reignited patterns of systematic violence against civilian populations, with multiple international entities including the US and UK accusing RSF forces of continuing ethnic cleansing campaigns.

Dr. Matthew Benson-Strohmayer, Sudan Research Director at the London School of Economics, observed that despite the symbolic importance of Kushayb’s conviction, the cyclical nature of violence in Darfur continues largely unabated. The region remains embroiled in what he characterized as ‘a war of terror’ employing similar tactics of militia mobilization and sexual violence as tools of warfare.

While the ICC emphasized that Kushayb’s sentence serves both retributive and deterrent purposes, outstanding arrest warrants for other Sudanese officials—including ousted President Omar al-Bashir—remain unexecuted. Most victims of the initial Darfur conflict continue living in displacement camps, their plight compounded by renewed violence that echoes the very atrocities for which Kushayb has now been condemned.

A Nigerian Air Force aircraft was compelled to execute an emergency landing in Burkina Faso late Monday, triggering heightened military alerts across the Sahel region. The incident occurred when the Nigerian plane experienced an undisclosed in-flight emergency while en route to Portugal, necessitating an immediate diversion to the nearest available airfield in Bobo-Dioulasso, western Burkina Faso.

The Alliance of Sahel States (AES), comprising Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, responded by elevating their collective air and anti-air defense systems to maximum alert status. Malian military junta leader General Assimi Goita issued a statement authorizing defensive forces “to neutralize any aircraft violating the confederation’s airspace,” characterizing the Nigerian plane’s entry as unauthorized.

Nigerian military officials confirmed the emergency landing followed established international safety protocols. Air Force spokesman Ehimen Ejodame reported that the two crew members and nine passengers aboard received “cordial treatment” from Burkinabè authorities and remained safe throughout the incident.

This aerial incident occurs against a backdrop of deteriorating regional relations. Nigeria, as a key member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), recently supported intervention efforts that thwarted a short-lived coup in Benin on Sunday. The AES nations had previously withdrawn from ECOWAS, accusing the bloc of imposing inhumane sanctions and working against their citizens’ interests following recent military takeovers in the region. Burkina Faso shares a northwestern border with Benin, while Nigeria borders Benin to the east, creating complex geopolitical dynamics in the wake of these security developments.

UN Environment Programme Executive Director Inger Andersen has characterized China’s extraordinary acceleration in renewable energy deployment as a transformative force in global climate efforts. Speaking exclusively to China Daily ahead of the seventh UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi, Andersen emphasized that China’s unprecedented scale of clean energy installation—projected to reach 3,600 gigawatts by 2035—demonstrates remarkable achievements through strategic long-term planning, industrial capability, and coherent policy implementation.

Andersen highlighted that China’s manufacturing dominance has produced significant global spillover effects, dramatically reducing renewable technology costs worldwide. Solar energy prices have plummeted to an average of 3.3 US cents per kilowatt-hour, making clean energy increasingly accessible, particularly across Global South nations. This cost reduction, coupled with expanded availability, represents what Andersen termed ‘magnificent progress’ in the worldwide transition to sustainable energy.

Beyond energy generation, China’s rapidly evolving electric vehicle ecosystem—encompassing two-wheelers, buses, and passenger cars—is expanding throughout Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Local assembly operations in developing countries are already generating employment opportunities, improving urban air quality, and facilitating the transition to low-emission transportation networks.

A recent UNEP report corroborates Andersen’s assessment, identifying China’s renewable energy expansion as one of the most decisive factors shaping global climate action. The report notes that China’s projected capacity—six times its 2020 level—could substantially narrow the emissions gap by accelerating clean energy deployment internationally. For developing economies, China’s model of scaling manufacturing, reducing costs, and enabling technology transfer offers a practical blueprint for enhancing South-South cooperation.

Andersen concluded that China’s coordinated industrial policy provides a powerful example of how rapid, large-scale progress toward Paris Agreement goals can be achieved, offering valuable lessons for all nations committed to climate action.