We present a range-wide assessment of sympatric western lowland gorillas Gorilla gorilla gorilla and central chimpanzees Pan troglodytes troglodytes using the largest survey data set ever assembled for these taxa: 59 sites in five countries surveyed between 2003 and 2013, totaling 61,000 person-days of fieldwork. We used spatial modeling to investigate major drivers of great ape distribution and population trends.

Anti-trafficking authorities have seized 513 kilograms (1,131 pounds) of pangolin scales at Cotonou airport in the West African country of Benin, the Beninese newspaper La Nouvelle Tribune reports.

Entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson and conservationist Jane Goodall have joined a list of famous names who have signed an open letter to South Africa's government calling for an end to rhino poaching

The elephant staggered and keeled over in the tall grass in southern Tanzania, where some of the world's worst poaching has happened.

Law enforcement officials in Cameroon say investigations continue following a large discovery of illegal wildlife products hidden in shipping containers bound for China.

A new TRAFFIC report identifies Uganda as one of the common transit points for the trafficking of wildlife and wildlife products in the Central and East Africa region. Criminal organizations in Uganda are mainly associated with the smuggling of ivory, but in recent years have also been heavily linked to pangolin trafficking.

Dar es Salaam — In Tanzania, the government, with support from WWF, has launched the country's largest ever elephant collaring effort to protect its dwindling elephant population.

The former first lady of Zimbabwe, Grace Mugabe, is suspected by wildlife officials of having smuggled ivory worth millions of dollars.

The Minister of Environment, Ibrahim Jibril, says the Nigerian Customs Service has intercepted elephant tusks and pangolin, worth about N1.2 billion, between February 15 and March 22.

Populations of forests elephants, which play key roles in maintaining forest habitat, have declined 63 percent in Central Africa since 2001.

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