Orphaned elephant calf Bungalu survived weeks alone, storms, and a lion attack

Aaron Goldstein, The Cool Down (U.S.), August 2, 2026

After surviving alone in the Kenyan bush for weeks, enduring severe storms and even a lion attack, an orphaned elephant calf named Bungalu is finally safe. New rescue footage is giving animal lovers a closer look at just how fragile — and hopeful — wildlife rehabilitation can be. In a YouTube video shared by the Kenya-based wildlife rescue organization Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Bungalu is introduced as "a special little elephant who survived a true odyssey to be here today."

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Farmers lose harvests, peace to booming jumbo population

Herald (Zimbabwe), August 1, 2026

Hordes of marauding elephants have been roaming the outskirts of Chirunya villages in Ward 8, Mbire District, as the perennial human-wildlife conflict intensifies. On July 19, terrified villagers watched from their homesteads as the spectacle unfolded, throwing the sleepy rural community into panic. Nursing cow elephants were spotted among the tuskers. The mounting unease across the ward is entirely justified. Just months earlier, gory images of a young woman trampled to death in Masoka, Ward 2, went viral on social media.

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NEW: Zimbabwe’s wildlife rangers get the much-needed legal backing

Luckmore Safuli, Herald (Zimbabwe), August 1, 2026

Just before sunrise, at Zimbabwe’s largest national park, Hwange National Park, 35-year-old Joseph Msipa begins another patrol. His backpack carries water, a first-aid kit and enough supplies to spend several days in the bush. The weight of the bag serves as a constant reminder of the gravity of the mission. Ahead lies more than 20 or 30 kilometres of challenging terrain, often made more difficult by the hostile Hwange weather.

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UGM demands independent probe into ‘cyanide poisoning’ after Amboseli elephant deaths

Spencer Walela, Capital FM (Kenya), July 31, 2026

The United Green Movement (UGM) has called for an independent investigation into the alleged “cyanide poisoning” of elephants in the Amboseli ecosystem, urging authorities to tighten controls on hazardous chemicals following the recent deaths of fifteen elephants. The party’s statement comes days after the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) disclosed that preliminary laboratory findings had detected a potential toxic substance in samples collected from several affected elephants.

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The untold story in cyanide poisoning of 15 Amboseli elephants

Stanley Ngotho, Daily Nation (Kenya), July 31, 2026

Between June 24 and July 24, 2026, a wave of unexplained elephant deaths swept through the Amboseli ecosystem in Kajiado County, claiming 15 animals and triggering alarm among conservationists in Kenya and across the world. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) broke the silence, revealing that the animals had died from cyanide poisoning, pointing to agricultural chemicals as the likely cause of the deaths. KWS Director-General Prof Erustus Kanga said preliminary laboratory analysis of samples collected from the carcasses detected traces of cyanide in their digestive systems.

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Harare, Tsholotsho men jailed nine years each for illegal ivory possession

Chronicle (Zimbabwe), July 31, 2026

TWO men from Harare and Tsholotsho have each been sentenced to an effective nine years in prison after being convicted of unlawfully possessing raw ivory in separate cases, as authorities intensify efforts to combat wildlife crime. The pair was convicted of contravening Section 81(1) of the Parks and Wildlife Act [Chapter 20:14], which prohibits the possession of unmarked raw ivory without a valid permit or licence.

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