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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 - 13 of 13
Friday, 24 March 2023
Keppler-Young V 2023. Police confiscate bags full of abalone worth over R1 million.

Police arrested 26-year-old man on the N6 Road with 16 refuse bags filled with abalone.

Tuesday, 7 February 2023
Keppler-Young V 2023. Accused DNA linked to poached rhino horns found in search seizure operation.

A 47-year-old accused will appear in the Kabokweni Magistrate Court on Tuesday, 7 February 2023, after his DNA was linked to rhino horns found during a search and seizure operation.

Friday, 7 October 2022
Heita J 2022. Only 36 arrests for rhino poaching this year compared to 80 in 2021.

Only 36 people have been arrested for rhino-related poaching cases this year, compared to 80 last year. This was revealed by environment minister Pohamba Shifeta as the ministry received a donation of 10 vehicles, park management and law enforcement equipment worth approximately N$ 21.7 million funded by the Integrated National Park Management II (NamParks V and Covid-19 Fund) and Integrated Wildlife Protection (IWPP) projects. In contrast, 55 rhinos have been poached this year, compared to 44 in 2021. Two elephants have been poached so far this year compared to eight in 2021.

Wednesday, 17 August 2022
Heita J 2022. Suspected poaching leaves Zambezi elephant dead.

The police in the Zambezi region have urged public assistance to trace a suspected poacher for arrest. The suspect allegedly fatally shot the elephant bull on Monday, 15 August, and the community members of Batubaja Village made the discovery. It was further reported that the elephant was shot and died in Batubaja area. The incident is believed to have occurred at around 15h00 in the afternoon. No suspect has been arrested so far, and the investigation is at an advanced stage.

Tuesday, 21 June 2022
Heita J 2022. Botswana national nabbed for suspected poaching in Bwabwata.

Environment and Tourism Minister Pohamba Shifeta today revealed that a 40-year-old Botswana male, a suspected poacher, is receiving medical treatment at Rundu State hospital after being shot by Bwabwata national park staff and wildlife protection services last week Tuesday. Shifeta said at a press conference today that Park staff on regular patrol laid an ambush after discovering a giraffe’s fresh carcass in a snare wire and hanging biltong

Wednesday, 25 August 2021
Kamati E 2021. Accused poachers remanded at Otavi.

Three suspects arrested on poaching charges near Otavi last week were remanded in custody by the Otavi magistrate's court. The three were arrested on a gravel road near the Ohorongo Cement factory on Tuesday. They were found in possession of a silencer, ammunition, one hunting rifle, a knife and a machete. They were suspected to have been on a rhino poaching mission at a nearby farm.

Wednesday, 25 August 2021
Kamati E 2021. Beweerde stropers bly in aanhouding.

Die drie mans het verlede week hul eerste hofverskyning gemaak nadat hulle op 'n gruispad naby Ohorongo Cement in besit van 'n knaldemper, lewendige ammunisie, 'n jaggeweer, swaarkaliber-ammunisie, 'n mes en 'n panga betrap is. Die vermoede is dat hulle onderweg was om renosters op 'n nabygeleë plaas te stroop.

Thursday, 10 September 2020
Kamati E 2020. Poaching carnage at Randveld farm: Randveld, a farm between Otjiwarongo and Outjo, fell victim to a poaching spree on Sunday morning.

Three poachers brutally killed eight calves and mutilated six more on the farm Randveld of Jacques Swartz at around 02:00 on Sunday. The calves were attacked with spears and axes, and their intestines were ripped out. Swartz said he and a few watchmen were doing their night patrol - something they started doing regularly after a similar incident last month when four cattle were killed in a similar incident.

Tuesday, 23 October 2018
Sasman C 2018. Alleged police brutality alarming - NamRights.

The human rights organisation says citizens are unsafe in police custody. Human rights organisation NamRights says it is becoming increasingly alarmed by widespread allegations of torture and other cruel treatment of ordinary citizens by the Namibian police and other law-enforcement agencies. The executive director of NamRights, Phil Ya Nangoloh, says the organisation has reasonable cause to believe that there is evidence that citizens in general are no longer safe in police custody.

Thursday, 8 December 2016
Sasman C 2016. Three missing in Etosha.

Suspected rhino and elephant poachers have gone missing in Etosha National Park after an alleged shootout with the anti-poaching unit of the Namibian police.

Monday, 21 December 2015
Sasman C 2015. Poaching smells like an inside job.

The head of the Namibian Police, Inspector-General Sebastian Ndeitunga, said he would dismiss with contempt any claim that the government does not have a real commitment to root out the poaching of Namibia’s wildlife. “Cabinet has allocated a lot of resources to combat and eradicate poaching. It is a costly exercise. This is an indication of how serious government is,” he stressed. Ndeitunga said it is clear that the poaching of rhinos and elephants in Namibian national parks is a well-orchestrated and well-funded transnational organised crime.

Friday, 18 December 2015
Sasman C 2015. Ya Nangoloh dared to give evidence.

The Ministry of Environment and Tourism and the Namibian Police have requested evidence from Namibia Media Holdings (NMH) as well as the executive director of Namrights, Phil ya Nangoloh, to substantiate allegations of political leaders’ involvement in rhino and elephant poaching. At a joint press briefing on Wednesday, Minister Pohamba Shifeta and police chief Inspector-General Sebastian Ndeitunga requested ya Nangoloh to submit the said evidence before the end of December.

Monday, 4 February 2013
Sasman C 2013. Illegal wildlife poaching at Tsiseb conservancy.

While there is no conclusive evidence of illegal poaching, members of the Tsiseb constituency in the Erongo Region say wildlife in the area is being decimated by unscrupulous elements.

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