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.
Explore your search results using the filter checkboxes, or amend your search or start a new search.
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.
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.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
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.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2023_05_Suspected pangolin trafficker arrested in Gravelotte_The Citizen.pdf | 309.83 KB |
Pongola Game Reserve East (PGRE) in KwaZulu-Natal will move about 69 elephants back onto its property to other protected areas to stem a bloody poaching war. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife said they will engage the game reserve to relocate them as soon as protected areas with adequate carrying capacity for elephants have been identified. This was an attempt to resolve the long-standing human/wildlife conflict caused by elephants from the private game reserve and has contributed to the rise in elephant poaching incidents.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2023_01_Elephants to be relocated from KZN reserve to stem poaching slaughter_TimesLive.pdf | 397.14 KB |
Sestig renosters is vanjaar gestroop teenoor die 44 renosters verlede jaar en 42 in 2020. In die jongste stroperyvoorvalle is twee witrenosters tussen Vrydag en Maandag op 'n onbekende tyd op 'n private plaas naby Seeis in die Windhoek-distrik gestroop. Volgens die polisie is die renosters geskiet en hul horings is verwyder. Die waarde van die twee renosters word op N$660 000 geraam.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
NAM_2022_10_Sestig renosters is vanjaar gestroop_Republikein.pdf | 336.54 KB |
NAM_2022_10_Sixty rhinos were poached this year_Republikein_Eng.pdf | 308.13 KB |
Die Chinese renosterhoringsmokkelaar Wang Hui (48) het gister omstreeks 11:00 uit aanhouding ontsnap en was teen druktyd gister nog op die vlug. Wang het ontsnap toe hy saam met met 'n bewaarder van die Windhoek Sentrale Gevangenis na Brakwater gegaan het om materiaal by ’n verskaffer te gaan oplaai.
The Chinese rhino horn smuggler Wang Hui (48) escaped from custody at around 11:00 yesterday and was still on the run at press time yesterday. Wang escaped when he went to Brakwater with a warden from the Windhoek Central Prison to pick up materials from a supplier.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
NAM_2022_10_Smokkelaar in renosterhoring op die vlug_Republikein.pdf | 580.76 KB |
NAM_2022_10_Rhino horn smuggler on the run_Republikein_Eng.pdf | 463.25 KB |
Chinese rhino-horn smuggler Wang Hui (48) escaped from custody at around 11:00 yesterday and was still on the run at time of going to press last night. Wang escaped when he went to Brakwater with a warden from the Windhoek Central Prison to pick up material from a supplier.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
NAM_2022_10_Rhino horn smuggler on the run_Namibian Sun.pdf | 396.2 KB |
Magma Security and Investigations said while their officers were patrolling in the Karkloof area, a suspicious vehicle was observed on a client’s property just after 2am, on Sunday morning. It said that upon stopping the vehicle, the officers found six occupants with six dogs. "They had poached and killed two warthogs and six porcupines. Knives were found in their possession. Suspects were handed over to Howick SAPS," said Magma Magma Security and Investigations.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2022_05_Six alleged poachers arrested in a Howick Farm in KZN_The WitnessSA.pdf | 387.43 KB |
Rhino and elephant poaching has declined significantly this year in Namibia, home to the only free-roaming black rhinos left in the world, government data showed on Monday. Nine rhinos have been illegally killed by hunters so far in 2021, the lowest number in eight years for the period, according to the figures from the ministry of environment and tourism. Four elephants have been killed this way, a five-year low
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
NAM_2021-07_Rhino and elephant poaching declines in Namibia-KFGO.pdf | 262.03 KB |