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 Texan faces accusations of violating South African law after several carcasses were found that had no paperwork. A controversial figure in the rhino horn trade debate was arrested last week after more than 20 rhino carcasses were found at his game farm in Limpopo. The arrest of Derek Lewitton was made by the Hawk, after they investigated his Harmony game farm for more than 16 hours. During the searches, members of the Hawks discovered multiple rhino carcasses missing their horns.
A mission to rescue a pangolin confiscated in Kuruman in the Northern Cape led to a Limpopo foundation sponsoring a flight to the Northern Cape to have it treated at Provet Animal Hospital in Hoedspruit. Provet Animal Hospital said on Facebook that a female Temminck’s ground pangolin was confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade and upon assessment, the veterinarian in Kuruman discovered that she was clutching a newborn pup, a little male, still wrapped in the afterbirth.
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SA_2023_08_Female pangolin and baby rescued from poachers in the Northern Cape_CAXTON Network News.pdf | 307.04 KB |
Burke het 'n lys van bedreigings saamgestel wat die plante in die Sperrgebiet se voortbestaan belemmer. Eerstens noem Burke klimaatsverandering, "ons weet nie hoe die plante daarop gaan reageer nie." Dit is egter duidelik dat hulle in die toekoms aan groter stresfaktore blootgestel sal word. Mynbou vernietig ook habitatte. Dit is egter danksy diamantontginning dat hierdie diversiteit hoegenaamd in die beperkte gebied kon oorleef." Vir 'n geruime tyd al is ’n deel van die beperkte gebied ook vir die publiek oopgestel.
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NAM_2023_07_Endemiese plante in gevaar_Republikein.pdf | 297.28 KB |
NAM_2023_07_Endemic plants in danger_Republikei_Eng.pdf | 296.94 KB |
Nationalpark Sperrgebiet: Sorge um seltene Pflanzen ist groß. Im Nationalpark Tsau //Khaeb (Sperrgebiet) gibt es Pflanzen, die sonst nirgends auf der Welt zu finden sind. Wissenschaftlerin Antje Burke bangt um die Zukunft der Endemiten. Durch Tourismus, Bergbau und Pflanzenwilderei könnten sie aussterben.
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NAM_2023_07_Endemische Pflanzen Bedroht_Allgemeine Zeitung.pdf | 150 KB |
NAM_2023_07_Endemic plants under threat_Allgemeine Zeitung_Eng.pdf | 40.71 KB |
This was during his second appearance in the Lenyenye Regional Court after he was arrested in May. Nyalungu’s defence team requested that he be transferred to a Polokwane correctional facility due to difficulty to obtain his chronic medication in Thohoyandou where he was in custody until then. The court agreed and Joseph has been moved to Polokwane. Nyalunga was arrested on Saturday, May 27 in Kampersrus after a car chase involving the police. He allegedly has a long history of poaching and was first arrested in 2011 after being on police’s radar for several months.
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SA_2023_07_Poaching kingpin Big Joe to Polokwane Correctional services_Letaba Herald.pdf | 796 KB |
It was successful day for multi-task team of detectives from the Endangered Species Unit, SANParks, Focused Conservation Solutions, Hoedspruit SAPS, and Hoedspruit Farm Watch when they made a breakthrough arresting five suspects for rhino poaching.
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SA_2023_07_Five alleged rhino poachers arrested in the Kruger Park_Letaba Herald.pdf | 426.58 KB |
Sixteen suspects appeared before the Nelspruit Commercial Crimes Court on 31 May 2023 to face charges related to money laundering and corruption connected to the illicit trade of rhino horns. The accused were apprehended during the course of "Project Blood Orange", which saw an investigation conducted by the Serious Corruption Investigation unit of the Hawks in Mpumalanga.
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SA_2023_06_16 suspects appear in court after being bust for illicit rhino horns trade_The Citizen.pdf | 356.25 KB |
Hidden in the boot inside a bag, police found a pangolin estimated to be worth R150 000. In a collaborative operation involving the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation and other enforcement agencies, police arrested a 59-year-old suspected pangolin dealer in Gravelotte, near Tzaneen, on Wednesday, 17 May 2023.
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SA_2023_05_Suspected pangolin trafficker arrested in Gravelotte_The Citizen.pdf | 309.83 KB |
The trial of a former Kruger National Park ranger and a state veterinary technician accused of rhino poaching has been postponed to November 22 because the court dates of the accused's legal representative clash with another trial. The ranger, Rodney Landela, and state vet Kenneth Motshotso appeared in court on Tuesday for the trial, which was meant to run until Friday. Landela and Motshotso were arrested on July 27 2016 for the possession of two rhino horns, a rifle and ammunition.
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SA_2022_08_Rhino poaching case of former park ranger and state vet postponed again_City Press.pdf | 446.57 KB |
Six years after two rhinos were killed and poached, a former Kruger National Park ranger and state veterinarian technician could soon hear their fate. Their trial dates have been set for Tuesday until Friday. Former ranger Rodney Landela and former state vet Kenneth Motshotso were arrested on July 27 2016. The pair were arrested for the possession of two rhino horns, a firearm and ammunition.
Rhinos are known for their distinctive horn or in some cases two horns on their nose. It's a great shame how some people do not consider these animals as the treasures that they are. They are also known as part of the big five.
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NAM_2014-06_Poison can End Rhino Poaching_The Namibian.pdf | 278.76 KB |