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African penguins to be protected by no-fishing zones in landmark South African deal

African penguins to be protected by no-fishing zones in landmark South African deal

BBC News18-03-2025
Six key breeding areas are to be safeguarded to help save the African penguin, following a landmark court order in South Africa.Last year scientists warned that the species was declining by around 8% every year and could become extinct within a decade.The court has imposed no-fishing zones around the breeding colonies to prevent so-called purse seine fishing vessels, which use large nets, from catching sardines and anchovies for the next 10 years.The order is the result of an out-of-court settlement reached before a three-day High Court hearing was due to start between conservation groups, the commercial fishing industry and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE).
Last year, BirdLife South Africa and the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (Sanccob) started the legal action - the first case of its kind in South Africa.They alleged that ministers had failed to adequately protect the endangered species after failing to implement key recommendations from a scientific panel brought in by the government to assess the risk to the African penguin.They argued the continuation of "inadequate" interim closures to fishing vessels around the breeding colonies, which are mainly in the Western Cape, had been allowed.The Biodiversity Law Centre, which represents the groups, said the number of penguins had dwindled from 15,000 in 2018 to just under 9,000 at the end of 2023.It said if the current rates of decline persisted the African penguin could be extinct by 2035.The order, issued by the Pretoria High Court on Tuesday, outlines no-go zones for the commercial sardine and anchovy fishing vessels around six key African penguin breeding colonies: Dassen Island, Robben Island, Stony Point, Dyer Island, St Croix Island and Bird Island.
The DFFE has two weeks to make sure the permit conditions and the closures are implemented.Nicky Stander, head of conservation at Sanccob, said the journey was far from over."The threats facing the African penguin are complex and ongoing - and the order itself requires monitoring, enforcement and continued co-operation from industry and the government processes which monitor and allocate sardine and anchovy populations for commercial purposes," she said.The anchovy and sardine fishing industry said it was pleased an agreement had been made, saying the decision was halfway between the interim closures and the area closures requested by conservation groups.It also added that the perception that the fishing industry was the primary cause of the decline of the penguin population was false.The order will last for the next 10 years, bringing it to 2035 which is when scientists predicted the penguin would be extinct. Its progress will be reviewed six years from now.
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Pink flamingos 'seized from smugglers' in TunisiaElephant tusks worth $11m destroyed from African stockpileHow an undercover sting outwitted pangolin traffickers
Go to BBCAfrica.com for more news from the African continent.Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
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Kafe Utu, Singapore's first African café, just updated its brunch menu – here's why you need to try it
Kafe Utu, Singapore's first African café, just updated its brunch menu – here's why you need to try it

Time Out

timea day ago

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Kafe Utu, Singapore's first African café, just updated its brunch menu – here's why you need to try it

The year is 2019, and Singapore's first African café and lounge just landed on the scene. These days, founder Kurt Wagner is more known for his West African restaurant Tamba, which offers a reasonable $138 dinner tasting menu, but before that, Kafe Utu was where curious diners would flock to for a taste of African cuisine. My first visit to the café was in 2022. It didn't accept reservations back then so a crowd was pooling outside during dinner time, but what turned out to be a 90-minute wait proved to be worth it. The three-storey building was impressive at every corner – stunning portraits of African women on the first floor, large leather couches on the second floor for lounging around and mingling with strangers, and a charming alfresco area overlooking the neighbourhood. Tasteful decor aside, the vibe was lively and communal, and the service warm and friendly. Kafe Utu's dinner offerings consist of a pan-African spread of curries paired with rice and condiments, and it also serves brunch and an extensive list of specialty coffee, all roasted in-house. The recent brunch menu refresh sees returns of fan-favourite dishes as well as a couple of additions to keep things fresh. We're told that the previous version leaned more towards stews, rice and curries, while the updated features more bread – think chapati and batbout (a kind of Moroccan pita). Back by popular demand is the pulled pork breakfast ($27), a vibrant platter of spiced shredded pork shoulder topped with a poached egg and smoked barbecue sauce. On the side: refreshing kachumbari, fried plantains and viazi karai (deep-fried potatoes). Get a bit of everything and roll it all up in freshly baked chapati sheets. Or try the Mbuzi Mbaya 'Bad Goat' ($34), highly recommended by my dining companion. Think of it as an African version of the English big breakfast, with homemade goat sausages, marinated goat cheese, smoked pepper sauce, and the same fixings of kachumbari and chapati. We couldn't pass up the Yaba 'Wise Chief' Burger ($42), another much-anticipated comeback on the brunch menu. This towering burger was a mainstay at the café back in 2020, available only in limited quantities each day. At its heart is a thick, juicy slab of Angus brisket and chuck patty, stacked with another layer of smoked ox tongue. Yes, ox tongue – it appears intimidating at first, with a glossy, deep-red sheen, but don't be fooled. It's remarkably tender, richly beefy and completely free of any funky aftertaste. Smoky melted pepper jack cheese adds depth, while house-made pickles cut through the fattiness. Everything we try is spot-on so far and the portions are far from paltry – it's just a tad heavy for brunch. You get your fair share of deep-fried, spicy, smoky and meaty flavours here, so if that's not quite your idea of breakfast, it might be wiser to pop by later in the day before the café closes at 4.30pm for the dinner service. That said, coffee and desserts are a hit with our table. The alcoholic Utu Dome dessert is a classic – and quite the showstopper – with melted dark chocolate poured over a thin chocolate shell encasing crème de pâtissière, pink peppercorns, raspberry liqueur and seasonal berries ($24). New desserts include the sour cream cheesecake with peanut butter ($12) and tapioca fritters with coconut cream and an accompanying chocolate dip ($18). There are over six coffee options on the menu and eight specialty drinks under the Utu Specials section. Hatsu-Koi ($12) is the café's answer to the recently trending strawberry matcha latte, blending jasmine tea with matcha for added florality and using homemade strawberry purée. Meanwhile, classic beverages include the Bidibado ($8) – mocha with a peanut butter rim laced with roasted almonds and pink peppercorn; Malindi Latte ($8) – latte with a secret seven spice syrup; and The Karanga ($12) for sweet tooths, where iced white coffee is topped with peanut butter mascarpone cream.

Sulking, screaming, fights: welcome to the summer holiday warzone
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Times

time2 days ago

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Sulking, screaming, fights: welcome to the summer holiday warzone

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'Much-loved' Brit teacher trampled to death by elephant on safari identified
'Much-loved' Brit teacher trampled to death by elephant on safari identified

Daily Record

time5 days ago

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'Much-loved' Brit teacher trampled to death by elephant on safari identified

Former chemistry teacher Janet Easton, 68, was tragically killed alongside another tourist during an African safari. A school has paid a touching tribute to a British tourist who was crushed to death by an elephant on a safari. ‌ Janet Easton, 68, was fatally trampled on by a nursing elephant in Africa on July 3. Tour guides desperately tried to save her but were unable to deter the animal. ‌ The former chemistry teacher was sadly killed alongside another female tourist from New Zealand, reports the Mirror. She has been identified as Alison Taylor, 67. ‌ The pair were on a guided safari trip at the South Luangwa National Park when tragedy struck. They were walking around when the animal suddenly charged towards them at high speed. Tour workers attempted to block the animal by using firing shots but failed. Now, her former place of work, Titus Salt School in Baildon, Bradford, has paid tribute. On its website, she was described as an "intrepid traveller" and "much-loved" friend. The teacher, also known as Janice, taught at the site from September 1983 until she retired in August 2022. ‌ Headteacher Phil Temple said she was "admired" for her skills. He wrote: ' Sad news. We are sorry to hear the tragic news of the death of our friend and former colleague. Janice Easton whilst travelling in Africa. Janice started working at Titus Salt School in September 1983 and completed almost 40 years of service when she retired in August 2022. "Janice was a highly skilled Chemistry teacher and was for many years responsible for transition to high school. In these roles and others Janice had a profound impact on generations of pupils and students in the local community as well as countless colleagues who admired her skill, tenacity and determination to ensure all young people had the opportunity to succeed. "As well as an exemplary professional Janice was an intrepid traveller, keen photographer and much-loved friend. Janice will be fondly remembered by all in the Titus Salt School and wider communities." ‌ Local police chief Robertson Mweemba earlier told the BBC: "They were moving to other camps when the elephant charged from behind. We are really sorry that we have lost our visitors. They both died on the spot." He continued: "It is very difficult to control the animals and tourists like feeding them." The tour was operated by Expert Africa, reports The Times. Managing director Chris McIntyre, previously said: 'This was a deeply tragic and highly unusual incident in one of Africa's most remote wilderness areas. "Our hearts go out to the families and loved ones of the travellers involved. Our priority has been supporting the families in every way possible. We remain in close contact, doing what we can to assist them. "We are liaising closely with the local authorities, our partners on the ground and the relevant consular services to support those involved and to understand how this tragic event occurred. We will, of course, co-operate fully with any official investigations that take place.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!

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