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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Zimbabweans have been implicated as chief architects of a recent spike in rhino poaching in South Africa. The South African Department of Correctional Services identified the Zimbabwean poachers as Nhamo Muyambo, Francis Chitho, Trymore Chauke, Lubuyo September, Abraham Moyane, Simba Masinge and Bennet Kwamle. International Rhino Foundation (IRF) communications director Christopher Whitlatch said: "Zimbabwean rhino poachers have been involved in major illegal activities in South Africa.
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ZIM_2023_02_Zimbabweans implicated in regional rhino poaching surge_AOL.pdf | 224.39 KB |
International Rhino Foundation (IRF) communications director Christopher Whitlatch said: "Zimbabwean rhino poachers have been involved in major illegal activities in South Africa. "Taking the Eastern Cape as an example, the Zimbabwean rhino poaching gang that recently escaped from jail had been convicted for killing and dehorning numerous rhinos in hit-and-run incidents in that province. "Other cross-border rhino crimes include South African criminals operating in Zimbabwe," he said
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ZIM_2022_12_Locals driving rhino poaching in the region_Zimbabwe Independent.pdf | 201.84 KB |
The prisoner, Wang Hui (47), escaped in the Brakwater area north of Windhoek, where he was part of a team of inmates doing work outside the prison, around 11h00 on Monday, the Namibian Correctional Service's head of directorate central staff, Michael Mulisa, says. Wang Hui is serving a 15-year prison term for attempting to smuggle 14 rhino horns and a leopard skin out of Namibia in March 2014.
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NAM_2022_10_Rhino horn smuggler on the run after escape_The Namibian.pdf | 542.11 KB |
About 20 rhinos have been poached at the Etosha National Park so far this year, with five carcasses discovered between June and August. This was announced in a statement yesterday by Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism spokesperson Romeo Muyunda. Muyunda said 12 black rhinos were poached on custodianship farms and 16 white rhinos were poached on private farms across the country. A total of 32 poached rhinos were black, while 16 were white.
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NAM_20 rhinos poached at Etosha this year_The Namibian.pdf | 343.42 KB |
By building these new campgrounds, ZimParks wants to prevent a repeat of the 2013 massacre of more than 120 elephants who were poisoned by poachers. Farawo said when the elephants were poisoned, it was difficult for ZimParks to move from the main camp to the site. He added that having on-site housing would also make it easier for rangers to respond to wildlife affecting nearby communities. One of the closest communities to the park is the district of Tsholotsho, which is about 10 kilometers away. Farawo said building Makona will ensure rangers can protect elephants.
A number of approaches have been used to safeguard different natural resources. Use, and vulnerability mainly depends on its social, and economic value. Wildlife, considerably more valuable- has generated a lot of interest as concerned parties try to apply different approaches to ensure that it is protected. It is unfortunate that some of the wildlife species, like animals' numbers that dwindled because human beings always target them as a means of survival or tampered with their habitats.
This highly lucrative illicit business is managed by organised criminal groups through a variety of payment mechanisms. These mechanisms, including cash transactions and bulk cash smuggling, trade-based money-laundering, international bank transfers through legal businesses and nominee bank account holders, are key to advancing the objectives of criminal organisations.
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Initial analysis of the financial flows and payment mechanisms behind wildlife and forest crime.pdf | 17.76 MB |