| Brits trampled by elephant named
Police identified two British tourists killed by a charging elephant in western Zimbabwe as Veronica Poker and her 10-year-old daughter Charlotte, the state Herald newspaper has reported. The 47-year-old woman's husband escaped unhurt, despite earlier reports that he had also been injured. Local tour guide Andy Privella, who had fired a shot at the elephant, was hospitalised with serious injuries. He was believed to have wounded the elephant as it charged. .
Poachers target rhinos' ivory
Johannesburg - Images of rhinos with severed horns and elephants with bleeding feet mangled by snares illustrated a report on wildlife poaching in southern Africa released by an animal rights group on Monday. Rhinos and elephants are being increasingly targeted by poachers for the rhino horn and ivory trades, while smaller mammals such as antelope are being tracked for bush meat, said Animal Rights Africa (ARA). In its Consuming Wild Life: The Illegal Exploitation of Wild Animals in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia report, the group notes the illegal killing of wild animals, using guns, snares, poison or hunting dogs, falls into three categories. Traffickers, often operating as part of international criminal networks, trade meat, ivory and rhino horn on local and international markets.
Black mongoose comes in from the cold
This is what the new head researcher of the Shadow Hunter Project - investigating the conservation status of the black mongoose - discovered recently. Sara Tromp also found that a black mongoose emits a low growling sound like a puppy when startled or threatened, contrary to earlier observations that it did not make any sound. Since January 12, Tromp and assistant Sara Amupolo have been criss-crossing the Hobatere Lodge area west of Etosha, the Ohorongo Hunting Farm south of Etosha and the rocky Erongo Mountains, where the project originally started, to trap black mongooses. Tromp told The Namibian earlier this month that they had so far trapped 25 black mongooses in these three areas. They keep them for a few hours and then let them go again. She said although it was earlier believed that black mongooses are solitary territorial animals, they had seen them in pairs and had trapped up to three individuals at the same location within a 24-hour period.
Japanese hurt in Jakarta air mishap
JAKARTA (Kyodo) Three people including a Japanese trainee were hurt when their Cessna 172-P made an emergency landing in an empty lot on the outskirts of Jakarta. Ibnu Safari, an instructor at the Alfa Flying School, said that Sadao Tokusho, 41, suffered a light injury in the Saturday incident. "He only suffered a bruise on his nose. He is undergoing flight training here in Indonesia," Safari said. Pilot-instructor Bangkit S, who made the emergency landing, was also hurt, as was the third person on board. Safari said the plane suddenly lost power during a training flight. Weather conditions were fine at the time. "The emergency landing was good, but after the plane bumped into an embankment . . . the plane turned over," Safari said. He said the flying school offers training for both private and commercial pilots.
Only Lankans good enough to stop the Aussies
Finally, a clear picture has emerged, and the semi-final berths have been booked by the best four teams in the competition. A pity India arent around, though. Of course there have been some anxious moments, some hiccups, especially for a team like South Africa, trying hard to undo their chokers reputation. Hope simmered for both the West Indies and England, a faint chance to sneak into the semis. Otherwise, it was almost certain that Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and South Africa would be the chosen ones. That was expected, after Indias unceremonious exit, West Indies immature display and with Pakistan in disarray, and with Australia going gung-ho, crushing all in the way. Unlike Sri Lanka, Australia seem to be taking each and every game very seriously. Thats the way they have been brought up.
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