This archive of published media articles about wildlife crime in Namibia aims to:
Public access to information is a vital component of ensuring community engagement in prevalent issues. Wildlife crime is one of the pressing environmental issues of our time.
Wildlife crime investigations are generally covert operations requiring utmost confidentiality to succeed. Investigations and prosecutions in complex cases may take months or even years to complete. For this reason, the information that can be released to the public without compromising cases is often limited. Nonetheless, the Namibian government strives to share as much information as possible with the public.
The Namibian media has welcomed this approach and regularly publishes statistics and feature articles on wildlife crime. These are entered into the database at regular intervals, creating a comprehensive archive of wildlife crime reporting in Namibia.
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Three members of the Namibian Defence Force (NDF) were apprehended on Friday, within the confines of Mangetti National Park. The arrests followed after park officials saw the perpetrators climbing over a fence during a routine anti-poaching patrol and fence inspection. The three soldiers were arrested while attempting to claim over the Mangetti Park’s boundary fence into the Mururani location, bearing bags laden with dried game meat ranging from Eland, Kudu and Wildebeest.
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NAM_2024_04_Three NDF members arrested for poaching in Mangetti National Park_Windhoek Observer.pdf | 187.67 KB |
Between 2015 and February 2024, Namibia lost a staggering 631 rhinos due to poaching, marking a concerning downturn in its conservation success. This is according to statistics provided by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism last week during the Commemoration of World Wildlife Day 2024. Breaking down the figures year by year, statistics paint a grim picture of 97 rhinos poached in 2015 alone, with six reported to be poached in 2016 and five poached in 2017.
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NAM_2024_03_More than 600 rhinos were poached in ten years_Windhoek Observer.pdf | 965.03 KB |
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NAM_2024_02_Judges order release of alleged poachers_Namibian Sun.pdf | 229.63 KB |
Die twee mans wat tereggestaan het op aanklagte van stropery, Hermanus Kharugab en Ashley Eiseb, is ingevolge 'n uitspraak in 'n hersieningsaansoek in die hoërhof in Windhoek vrygelaat. Eiseb, wat volgens 'n lid van die Nossob Misdaadvoorkomingsforum, 'n "groot probleem is", en Kharugab is in November verlede jaar in hegtenis geneem ná hulle glo 'n motor gehuur het om wild in die Okahandja-omgewing te stroop. Regters Boas Usiku en Naomi Shivute het die skuldigbevindings en vonnisse teen beide mans tersyde gestel en beveel dat hulle uit aanhouding vrygelaat moet word.
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NAM_2024_02_Gewoontestropers vrygelaat_Republikein.pdf | 446.08 KB |
NAM_2024_02_Habitual poachers released_Republikein_Eng.pdf | 769.4 KB |
In an operation led by Members of the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism (MEFT), in collaboration with the Namibian Police (Nampol) and Namibian Defense Force (NDF), 24 elephant tusks were confiscated during an early morning interception on Friday in the Zambezi region.
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NAM_2023_11_Zambian poachers flee as officials confiscate 24 elephant tusks_Windhoek Observer.pdf | 274.6 KB |
Nachdem eine Anti-Wilderer-Einheit zwei Wilddiebe gefasst hatte, stellt sich heraus, dass sich diese scheinbaren Gewohnheitsverbrecher für zahlreiche Wilderei-Fälle oder sogar wegen versuchten Mordes im Gericht verantworten müssen. Staatsankläger scheinen die schwerwiegenden Vorwürfe kaum zu beachten, sodass die Angeklagten oft ungeschoren davonkommen.
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NAM_2023_11_Wilddiebe wiederholt Angeklagt_Allgemeine Zeitung.pdf | 388.85 KB |
NAM_2023_11_Poachers repeatedly charged_Allgemeine Zeitung_Eng.pdf | 423.46 KB |
"Dis 'n outjie wat ons al lankal pla. Hy is al vantevore op Seeis toegesluit omdat ons hom met 'n gesteelde 5 000 liter-tenk gevang het en daar was nog gemsbokke agterop die voertuig ook," sê die bron. Volgens die persoon is hulle groep ingelig oor ses stropers wat bedrywig was tussen Vrydag en Sondag.
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NAM_2023_11_Vermeende stropers verskyn weer vrydag_Republikein.pdf | 289.39 KB |
NAM_2023_11_Suspected poachers appear again on Friday_Republikein_Eng.pdf | 328.07 KB |
The Windhoek Magistrate Court has handed down prison sentences of up to 15 years to four individuals involved in a heinous rhino poaching case. The culprits were found guilty for their involvement in a poaching incident dating back to December 2016, where four white rhinos were ruthlessly killed on a private farm in the Gobabis District. On 22 December 2016, the suspects allegedly, without a hunting permit, killed four white rhinos - two bulls and two pregnant cows - each valued at N$1.25 million, with a total value…
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NAM_2023_10_Poachers sentenced to 15 years_Windhoek Observer.pdf | 284.34 KB |
'n Klag van poging tot moord is by die polisie aangemeld ná 'n man glo in die been geskiet is toe polisieen bewaringsbeamptes van die omgewingsministerie drie verdagtes agtervolg het. Die verdagtes het glo in verskeie rigtings te voet probeer wegkom en in die proses is waarskuwingskote glo afgevuur. Een van die skoté het klaarblyklik een van die verdagtes getref. Hy is na die hospitaal geneem en polisie het beslag gelê op die olifanttande wat die verdagtes glo gestroop het.
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NAM_2023_05_Vermeende stroper in been geskiet_Republikein.pdf | 359.99 KB |
NAM_2023_05_Suspected poacher shot in the leg_Republikein_Eng.pdf | 354.69 KB |
A charge of attempted murder has been reported to the police after a man was allegedly shot in the leg when police and conservation officers pursued three suspects. The suspects reportedly attempted to escape on foot in various directions, and warning shots were apparently fired in the process. One of the shots apparently hit one of the suspects. He was taken to the hospital, and the police seized the elephant tusks that the suspects allegedly poached.
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NAM_2023_05_Alleged poached shot in leg_Namibian Sun.pdf | 300.38 KB |
Die Verdächtigen sollen versucht haben, zu Fuß in verschiedene Richtungen zu fliehen, und dabei sollen Warnschüsse abgegeben worden sein. Einer der Schüsse soll einen der Verdächtigen getroffen haben. Er wurde ins Krankenhaus gebracht, und die Polizei beschlagnahmte die Elefantenstoßzähne, die die Verdächtigen angeblich gewildert hatten.
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NAM_2023_05_Mutmasslicher Wilderer mit Schuss ins Bein_Allgemeine Zeitung.pdf | 339.93 KB |
NAM_2023_Suspected poacher shot in the leg_Allgemeine Zeitung_Eng.pdf | 321.46 KB |
The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has identified its employee Otto Jan Uirab as the suspect in the poaching incident that occurred last week. He is charged alongside Nedbank employee, Harold Xarageb, and two other suspects Gaeb Franklin and Veldskoendraer Neely. The suspects were arrested on suspicion of illegally hunting a blue wildebeest in the Dan Viljoen Park near Windhoek last week. They have since appeared in the Katutura Magistrate’s court. A case has been opened with the Otjomuise Police station and the suspects were remanded in custody until the May 2023…
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NAM_2023_02_MEFT employee nabbed for poaching_Windhoek Observer.pdf | 291.96 KB |
An official from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism was amongst three other suspects that were arrested on suspicion of illegally hunting a blue wildebeest in Dan Viljoen Park near Windhoek. "The incident happened on Tuesday at a roadblock between Dan Viljoen and Windhoek. The Ministry condemns the incident particularly, the alleged involvement of a staff member," said the ministry’s spokesperson Romeo Muyunda. They were arrested on Tuesday at the roadblock, west of Windhoek, leading to the game park.
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NAM_2023_02_Ministry official arrested for poaching_Windhoek Observer.pdf | 257.16 KB |
Poisons like cyanide can be a deadly weapon for poachers, allowing them to kill dozens of animals without needing access to firearms or the backing of criminal syndicates. Wildlife poisoning is on the rise across Africa, targeting elephants as well as pushing endangered vultures toward extinction. A new study says Zimbabwe, which a decade ago witnessed some of the deadliest mass poisonings of elephants, has developed a sound basis for curbing poisonings by tightening laws to criminalize intent to use poison to kill wildlife.
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ZIM_2022_09_As poachers poison wildlife Zimbabwe finds an antidote in tougher laws_Mongaby.pdf | 930.59 KB |
At least 369 alleged poachers have been arrested in the last nine months, the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism says. "Of these cases, 100 are related to pangolin poaching and trafficking, 64 to elephant poaching and trafficking, while 113 are related to rhino poaching and trafficking," ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda says. Over the last five years, elephant poaching has declined from 50 cases in 2017 to five thus far this year, while rhino poaching declined from 81 cases in 2018 to 14 this year. Ministry officials last week discovered two carcasses…
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NAM_2021_10_Poaching_ 369 arrests in nine months_The Namibian.pdf | 705.31 KB |