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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The Balule Nature Reserve (BNR) reports that it has recorded not a single rhino killing in the past two years. The reserve is situated on the Olifants River, between Hoedspruit and Phalaborwa. It shares an unfenced border with the Greater Kruger, and forms part of the Associated Private Nature Reserves bordering the Park. Ryan says their worst period was between 2014 and 2018 when they lost 37 rhino in total to poaching. In 2017 alone, 17 animals were killed.
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SA_2022_10_Private reserves stop poachers but it takes R200 000 per rhino per year_CapeTalk.pdf | 549.16 KB |
According to the Combatting Wildlife Crime in Namibia Annual Report for 2020, rhino crimes accounted for most arrests during the past year, with 145 suspects having been detained. "A significant number of these were pre-emptive arrests, where suspects were caught before they could kill a rhino. This is not only a highly commendable law enforcement success, but also a very positive conservation outcome. Pre-emptive arrests have directly saved numerous rhinos and will allow the population to continue to multiply," the report stated.
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NAM_2021_04_Wildlife crime decreases in 2020_Confidente.pdf | 2.03 MB |
The amount of elephant ivory, rhino horn, and pangolin scales intercepted by authorities in 2020 was far less than compared with the previous five years, according to analysis for National Geographic by the Center for Advanced Defense Studies (C4ADS). The coronavirus pandemic likely dampened both the ability of wildlife traffickers to move their products internationally and of law enforcement to detect them, according to the group, a U.S.
Between 11 and 17 May, only one new case of wildlife crime was registered with four suspects arrested and charged, according to the latest wildlife crime statistics compiled by the Intelligence and Investigation Unit within the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism and Protected Resources. Two of the suspects were arrested on rhino poaching/trafficking, including conspiracy of rhino poaching. One springbok horn was seized.
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NAM_2020-05_Drop in recorded wildlife crime_Confidante.pdf | 311.17 KB |
Given Namibia's poaching crisis, an education and awareness advocacy campaign is critical in order to develop strengthened community ownership and responsibility over wildlife.
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NAM_2020-03_Painting Murals For Conservation Advocacy_The Namibian.pdf | 355.56 KB |