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Namibian Wildlife Crimes article archive

This archive of published media articles about wildlife crime in Namibia aims to:

  • provide easy public access to published information and statistics
  • enable easy stakeholder access to articles
  • provide a comprehensive archive of wildlife crime reporting in Namibia

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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Displaying results 1 - 21 of 21
Thursday, 9 November 2023
David M 2023. Another arrest for pangolin trading in Kavango West.

Another case of dealing in controlled wildlife products has been reported in Kavango West, involving a 29-year-old man who was found with two pangolin skins on Tuesday. This comes after two men, aged 36 and 44, were arrested for being in possession of a live pangolin in Kakoro village recently. NamPol spokesperson Inspector Raimbert Muronga said that the 29-year-old suspect was arrested around 13:00 in Nkurenkuru town.

Tuesday, 7 November 2023
David M 2023. Two caught with live pangolin.

Two men, aged 36 and 44, were arrested after being found in possession of a live pangolin in Kakoro village, Kavango West. NamPol Head of Media, Chief Inspector Elifas Kuwinga, reported that the arrests occurred on Sunday around 16:00. Both suspects are Namibian nationals. "They were apprehended after being discovered in possession of a live pangolin valued at N$50 000 during a police operation," he said. Kuwinga said that the duo is facing charges related to dealing with and possessing controlled wildlife products.

Thursday, 30 March 2023
David M 2023. No more poaching in Etosha, says Sakaria.

Commissioner Naftal Lungameni Sakaria, the Oshana Regional Police Commander, was recently named the Gold Commander for the Etosha National Park Anti-poaching Safety and Security squad. Sakaria was named on March 23 and will, for the next six months, be in charge of directing the joint Nampol/NDF operational work in the Etosha National Park. He said that he will concurrently be in charge of the Oshana Region and also the anti-poaching operations in Etosha. "I have already been to Etosha, rotated the personnel and properly briefed them," he said.

Thursday, 23 March 2023
David M 2023. Two arrested for alleged possession of a pangolin skin.

Two people were detained Wednesday after they were found in possession of a skin of a pangolin which is a protected species. The two were apprehended at a temporary roadblock on the Omuthiya-Ondangwa main road. They are both from Windhoek. According to the regional commander of the police in Oshikoto, Commissioner Teopolina Kalompo-Nashikaku, the skin is valued N$50 000.

Wednesday, 23 February 2022
David M 2022. Pangolin poaching cases reach 320 in five years.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism said the illegal capture, killing and trade of pangolins for international markets has increased in recent years. Since 2017, the ministry recorded 320 pangolin poaching cases in the country. Of those, the highest number was reported in 2019 with 96 cases, followed by 62 in 2018, 60 in 2020, 59 in 2021, with the lowest reported in 2017, namely 43 cases.

Wednesday, 16 June 2021
David M 2021. Pangolin skin gets man arrested.

The Namibian Police Force in the Oshana Region have arrested a 41-year-old man after he was found in possession of protected wildlife products at Oshakati. According to an arrest report provided by the Public Relation Division of the Namibian Police, a case of possession of controlled wildlife products was registered on Friday evening. "The suspect was arrested at Okatana Service Station in Oshakati, after he was found in possession of a pangolin skin," said police.

Tuesday, 13 April 2021
Steynberg F 2021. Wildmisdaadsindikate in 2020 vasgetrek: Bosslagtery gedy in Covid.

Die voorkoms van wildmisdaad, veral rakende renosters, olifante en ietermagôs het in 2020 gedaal, maar steeds is ’n derde van alle inhegtenisnemings verwant aan dié hoë waarde spesies. Volgens 2020 se wildmisdaadverslag is 31% minder sake aanhangig gemaak, asook 31% minder verdagtes as in 2019 in hegtenis geneem. Altesaam 145 verdagtes is in verband met renosterstropery of horingsmokkelary in hegtenis geneem, maar in 2020 is op meer renosterhorings (21) beslag gelê as die 13 in 2019.

Friday, 11 December 2020
David M 2020. Two arrested with unpolished diamonds.

Two men, that attempted to sell seven unpolished diamonds and a pangolin skin, were arrested in Tsumeb during a sting operation earlier this week. The 30-year-old and 50-year-old suspects were apprehended during an undercover operation staged by the Protected Resources Sub Division of the Namibian Police. The Regional Police Commander, Commissioner Armas Shivute said the duo were found with one pangolin skin valued at N$ 50 000 and seven unpolished diamonds of which the value still has to be determined.

Thursday, 22 October 2020
Steynberg F 2020. China se rookskerm vir ietermagogs.

Vier maande gelede het Chinese staatsmedia aangekondig ietermagôskubbe is van tradisionele medisynelyste verwyder, maar navorsing weerspreek dat dié benadering in werklikheid toegepas word. Volgens ’n verslag getiteld “Smoke and Mirrors” van die Omgewingsondersoekagentskap (EIA) wat vandeesmaand gepubliseer is, word ietermagôprodukte steeds in tradisionele medisyne gebruik.

Tuesday, 15 September 2020
Steynberg F 2020. 19 vir wildmisdaad aangekla.

Altesaam 19 vermeende wildmisdadigers is verlede week in hegtenis geneem en aangekla.

A total of 19 suspected wildlife criminals were arrested and charged last week.

Tuesday, 1 September 2020
Steynberg F 2020. Zambiër vas met ivoor, 81 ietermagôskubbe.

’n Zambiese man, mnr. Tumone Biemba, is verlede week op Katima Mulilo glo met een olifanttand en 81 ietermagôskubbe vasgetrek.

A Zambian man, mr. Tumone Biemba, was allegedly caught on Katima Mulilo last week with one elephant tooth and 81 pangolin scales.

Friday, 28 August 2020
Steynberg F 2020. Renosterstropers’ bly in aanhouding.

89 ietermagôskubbe gekonfiskeer. Vier vermeende renosterstropers bly in aanhouding nadat hulle glo ’n witrenosterbul gestroop en ’n witrenosterkoei in die Grootfontein-distrik gekwes het.

89 pangolin scales confiscated. Four suspected rhino poachers remain in custody after they allegedly poached a white rhino bull and injured a white rhino cow in the Grootfontein district.

Thursday, 6 August 2020
Steynberg F 2020. Amerika help met vastrek van 'ietermagôsmokkelaars'.

Samewerking tussen Amerikaanse wetstoepassers en die Namibiese polisie (Nampol) het gelei tot die inhegtenisneming van vier vermeende ietermagôsmokkelaars.

Cooperation between US law enforcers and the Namibian police (Nampol) has led to the arrest of four suspected pangolin smugglers.

Tuesday, 4 August 2020
Steynberg F 2020. Namibië tweede beste in wildbewaring.

Namibië is as die tweede beste land in wildbewaring op die Megafauna Conservation Index (MCI) aangewys. Buurland Botswana is as die wenner uit 152 lande gekroon.

Namibia was named the second best country in wildlife conservation on the Megafauna Conservation Index (MCI). Neighboring Botswana was crowned the winner from 152 countries.

Friday, 10 July 2020
Steynberg F 2020. Honde trek menige wildstropers vas - Teenstropery-eenheid suksesvol.

Die vyf honde wat in 2017 deur die ministerie van die omgewing, bosbou en toerisme ingespan is om met teenstropery te help, het reeds in 52 wildstroperysake verdagtes vasgetrek. Die minister, mnr. Pohamba Shifeta, het Woensdag in die hoofstad gesê in die mees onlangse voorval het vier honde van die eenheid, naamlik Alex, Benno, Baron en Nora, vermeende renosterstropers op ’n plaas aangrensend tot die Waterberg-platopark vasgetrek.

Friday, 26 June 2020
Steynberg F 2020. Slegs drie maande tronk toe vir kameelperdjag.

Twee Namibiese mans, Jimmy Habate Gawaseb en Friedriek Stuurman, is op 2 Junie in die Kamanjab-landdroshof skuldig bevind aan die onwettige jag van ‘n kameelperd in Augustus 2018.

Two Namibian men, Jimmy Habate Gawaseb and Friedriek Stuurman, were convicted in the Kamanjab Magistrate's Court on June 2 for illegally hunting a giraffe in August 2018.

Thursday, 11 June 2020
Steynberg F 2020. China het die ietermagô van sy tradisionele lys van medisyne (Chinese Pharmacopoeia) verwyder en ook die wetlike beskerming van dié mees gesmokkelde soogdier ter wêreld verhoog. China has removed the Pangolin from its traditional list of medicines (Chinese Pharmacopoeia) and also increased the legal protection of this most smuggled mammal in the world..

China verwyder ietermagô van tradisionele medisynelys - Beter beskerming

Thursday, 12 March 2020
David M 2020. Man caught with live pangolin.

A man was arrested at Okandjengendi on Monday while trying to sell to undercover police officers a live pangolin.

Thursday, 27 February 2020
Steynberg F 2020. Drie stroop glo renoster in Etosha:  'Ietermagôsmokkelaars' kry borg.

Vanaf 17 tot 23 Februarie is beslag op twee renosterhorings gelê. Drie vermeende renosterstropers in die Etosha Nasionale Park, mnre. Festus Simon, Johannes Valombola en Efraim Malakia, is op 18 Februarie by Okahao in hegtenis geneem. Volgens die polisie is twee renosterhorings, twee .303-jaggewere, 30 patrone en 'n voertuig gekonfiskeer. 

Wednesday, 14 August 2019
Steynberg F 2019. 19 vas oor wildmisdaad.

Volgens statistieke wat deur die polisie-eenheid vir beskermde hulpbronne en die ministerie van die omgewing en toerisme se eenheid vir intelligensie en ondersoeke vir wildmisdaad in Augustus saamgestel is, is twee verdagtes in verband met renosterstropery of -horingsmokkelary of pogings daartoe in hegtenis geneem. 

Steynberg F 2021. Drie mans vas oor ses olifanttande.

Drie mans is onlangs op twee verskillende plekke met ses olifanttande vasgetrek. Twee Angolese burgers, mnre. Abraham Mwetupunga en Velema Nghitila, is Sondag op Onandjmba glo met twee olifanttande in hegtenis geneem en 'n Namibiese man, mnr. Philips Kutenda Thikuma, glo met vier olifanttande op 6 Maart by Mukwe. Hulle is deel van die 14 wildmisdaadverdagtes wat volgens die wildmisdaadverslag van 6 tot 14 Maart in sewe wildmisdaadsake in hegtenis geneem is. By Kamanjab is vier Namibiese mans, mnre.

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