Search results

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.

Explore your search results using the filter checkboxes, or amend your search or start a new search.

Displaying results 1 - 36 of 36
Friday, 24 November 2023
McCain N 2023. Locking horns with crooks: Wildlife crime on the rise in Southern Africa, driven by poaching in SA.

The consequences for local ecosystems and communities are serious, [including the] deterioration of natural capital, social stability and cohesion; extinction of animal species; and erosion of sustainable economic development. South Africa is home to the world's largest rhino population and is a key source for the illicit supply chain. In the first six months of this year, 231 rhinos were killed in South African game reserves. Of these, 143 were in KwaZulu-Natal.

Monday, 25 September 2023
McCain N 2023. Pangolins, rescued from poachers, are being given a second chance in SA game reserves.

After weeks of being kept in cramped spaces, deprived of food and water, many pangolins rescued from the illegal wildlife trade don't survive. But those who survive are given a second chance at some of South Africa's private game reserves, including &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal. Since 2019, &Beyond Phinda Private Game Reserve has successfully reintroduced several pangolins onto its property, with a number of them having bred and produced a second generation of these endangered animals.

Monday, 17 July 2023
McCain N 2023. To stop rhino poaching, deal with rangers in the pay of syndicates, says wildlife group.

Rangers at South African game reserves have been implicated in supplying information to rhino poachers. This is one of the forms of corruption that the Wildlife Justice Commission says is fueling wildlife crime. However, SANParks says it is implementing measures to reduce corruption, including a polygraph testing system.

Tuesday, 4 July 2023
Luvhengo P 2023. Poacher sentenced to 22 years in prison for killing two rhinos.

A poacher from Mozambique has been convicted and sentenced to 22 years in prison for killing two rhinos in the Kruger National Park.

Monday, 3 July 2023
McCain N 2023. Hawks make arrest after theft of 50 rhino horns from North West stockpile.

The Hawks have arrested a man in connection with the theft of 51 rhino horns. The horns were stolen from a stockpile in the North West. The man is expected to appear in court on Monday to face a charge of business robbery.

Saturday, 1 July 2023
McCain N 2023. How do you get 50 stolen rhino horns out of SA? Coffee or corruption, say experts, or maybe as mugs.

Fifty rhino horns stolen from a stockpile in the North West will likely leave South Africa as beads, mugs, or souvenirs, experts have said. The stockpile was stolen in the early hours of Monday morning from the North West Parks and Tourism Board in Mahikeng. Reports suggest the robbers evaded security measures, alarms, security cameras and bypassed the locking mechanism of the vault. Experts have speculated that the rhino horns may already be on their way to Asian markets, based on insights into how wildlife crime syndicates operate.

Friday, 17 February 2023
McCain N 2023. Fifteen-year sentence for man convicted of poaching-related offences in Kruger National Park.

The Skukuza Regional Court has handed a 15-year sentence to a man found guilty of poaching-related offences. He was found to have illegally entered the Kruger National Park on two occasions. The second time he entered the park illegally he was out on bail for the first charge.

Monday, 26 September 2022
McCain N, Lekoma N 2022. Rhino poaching hits private game reserves in the pocket.

Private game reserves are buckling under the costs of keeping rhinos safe from poachers. This as the trend shows poachers have set their sights on private reserves. More than 250 rhinos were poached in the first half of the year.

Saturday, 27 August 2022
McCain N, Lekoma N 2022. Rhino conservation groups call for cross-border enforcement as poaching numbers rise after Covid-19.

Rhino conservation groups say a collaborative, cross-border approach is needed to stop poaching. South Africa lost 259 rhinos to poaching in the first half of the year. Private game reserves are increasingly targeted by poachers, forcing them to increase security measures.

Wednesday, 25 May 2022
Luvhengo P 2022. Court hands down combined 63-year sentence to three rhino poachers.

Three men convicted on 12 charges related to rhino poaching have been sentenced to a combined 63 years in prison.

Saturday, 23 April 2022
McCain N 2022. Four bust at North West mall trying to sell pangolin for R250 000.

Four people have been arrested for trying to sell a pangolin for R250 000. They were arrested at a North West mall while attempting to find a buyer. The pangolin was found in their car and taken to safety.

Friday, 22 April 2022
McCain N 2022. 4 men arrested in connection with separate Kruger National Park poaching incidents.

Four suspected poachers have been arrested. Two were found in the Kruger National Park on Monday and the other two were arrested on Tuesday. This week, two other men were sentenced to 19 years in prison after they were arrested for poaching.

Friday, 25 February 2022
McCain N 2022. Poachers handed effective 19-year sentence for killing two rhinos.

Two rhino poachers have been sentenced to an effective 19 years' imprisonment for a 2019 poaching incident in the Kruger National Park. The Regional Court in Skukuza in Mpumalanga sentenced Micheal Chauke, 57, and Americo Mathonsi, 59, on Thursday. The men were found to have killed two rhinos on 22 May 2019, said police spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdhluli.

Monday, 8 November 2021
McCain N 2021. Poachers handed heavy sentences after being found with rhino horns.

Two rhino poachers have been sentenced to an effective 16 years' imprisonment each. The men were arrested in February when rangers from the Lower Sabie and Crocodile Bridge sections of the Kruger National Park reacted after three armed suspects were seen entering the park by crossing the border between South Africa and Mozambique, said police spokesperson Brigadier Selvy Mohlala.

Friday, 22 October 2021
McCain N 2021. Five arrested for allegedly poaching Western Cape succulents.

Five men have been arrested in the Western Cape in connection with the illegal possession of more than 5 600 succulents. The arrests were the result of an integrated operation between the police,  Malmesbury Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit and Cape Nature, said police spokesperson Sergeant Luqmaan Adams on Thursday. "The suspects were arrested after they were stopped and searched on the N7 close to Vanrhynsdorp.

Thursday, 21 October 2021
McCain N 2021. Three poachers get an effective 35 years behind bars for killing 3 female rhinos.

Three men accused of rhino poaching have each been sentenced to an effective 35 years in jail. They were found in possession of rhino horn valued at R1.5 million. The accused were found to have killed three female rhinos in 2018.

Tuesday, 8 June 2021
Shikongo A 2021. Police, military officers arrested over wildlife crime.

Among the items seized from the suspects are four elephant tusks, two rhino horns, one live pangolin, a giraffe skin and a pangolin skin.

Friday, 5 February 2021
Shikongo A 2021. Less poaching, more arrests in 2020.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism recorded fewer incidents of wildlife poaching and maintained a high number of arrests for wildlife crime in 2020, minister Pohamba Shifeta says.

Thursday, 3 September 2020
Shikongo A 2020. 'Butcher' poacher locked up for 30 years.

Notorious Congolese poacher Mobanza Mobembo Gérard, who is said to have poached some 500 elephants in the Republic of Congo, was last month sentenced to a 30-year jail term in an unprecedented wildlife crime conviction in that country.

Thursday, 13 August 2020
Shikongo A 2020. Elephant, pangolin crimes still highest.

More than half of 363 suspects arrested for animal poaching or trafficking in 2020 were apprehended for crimes involving high-value animal species. This includes rhino, elephant and pangolin, according to the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism.

Thursday, 6 August 2020
Shikongo A 2020. US helps Namibia pounce on pangolin smugglers.

The Namibian Police successfully arrested four suspected pangolin traffickers in a first-of-its-kind cooperation. This in partnership with US law enforcement through the US embassy in Windhoek. 
A statement issued by the embassy yesterday said information received by their investigations office in Pretoria was passed on to local authorities to facilitate the successful arrest of the suspects.

Tuesday, 4 August 2020
Shikongo A 2020. Five nabbed over wild cat skins.

Five suspects were arrested last week for contravening the Controlled Wildlife Products and Trade Act after they were allegedly found in possession of lion and leopard skins.

Thursday, 9 July 2020
Ngatjiheue C, Shikongo A 2020. Rhino, elephant poaching cases down.

Namibia has recorded a drastic drop in rhino and elephant poaching cases in the past three years because of improved response mechanisms, the government said yesterday. Minister of environment Pohamba Shifeta said the country has seen a reduction in rhino poaching numbers from 78 cases in 2018, 49 in 2019 and 17 so far this year.

Tuesday, 7 July 2020
Shikongo A 2020. Environment ministry receives donation for Canine Unit.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism today received a donation of a vehicle and vetenary drugs for the ministry's Canine Unit, aimed at supporting anti-poaching efforts. The two donations were made by Standard Bank and Swavet, MDS Animal Health and the Rhino Park Private Hospital, at a handover ceremony hosted in Windhoek today.

Tuesday, 16 June 2020
Shikongo A 2020. Wildlife gets bulk of environment budget.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has allocated 36% of its budget to wildlife and protected area management. This was announced by minister of environment, forestry and tourism Pohamba Shifeta during his budget motivation in the National Assembly on Thursday.

Thursday, 4 June 2020
Shikongo A 2020. 16 Namibians nabbed for Wildlife crime.

The report, which is jointly compiled by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism's intelligence and investigations unit and the protected resources division of the Namibian Police, detailed that the seven cases saw the arrest of 16 suspects. All those apprehended are Namibian nationals. Of those arrested, 11 were in connection with rhino poaching or trafficking, two in connection with elephant poaching or trafficking, two for the hunting of giraffe, and one for contravening the Arms and Ammunition Act. Among the wildlife products seized were six rhino…

Thursday, 16 April 2020
Langa V 2020. Govt set to amend Wildlife Act to protect whistleblowers (Zimbabwe).

Parliament has recommended amendments to the Wildlife Act to provide protection for whistleblowers and ensure stiff penalties for those found in possession of cyanide, a dangerous chemical often used by poachers to poison elephants.

Wednesday, 8 April 2020
Shikongo A 2020. Wildlife crime arrests up in 2019.

Arrests for wildlife crime involving high-value species like elephants, rhinos and pangolins, increased by 36% in 2019 compared to the year before.

Wednesday, 1 April 2020
Shikongo A 2020. Anti-poaching activities not affected by lockdown.

The ministry of environment says its anti-poaching activities will not be hindered by the rapidly spreading coronavirus, which has forced many countries, Namibia included, into a lockdown.

Tuesday, 10 March 2020
Shikongo A 2020. K9 unit thwarts suspected oryx poachers.

Police reservists at Karibib intercepted a group of poachers, who had killed two oryx at Farm Albrechtshohe, but were only able to apprehend one of the four suspects.

Wednesday, 19 February 2020
Shikongo A 2020. Six arrested for pangolin skin possession.

LAW enforcement agents last week cracked down on six individuals who were found in possession of pangolin skin.

Tuesday, 22 October 2019
Shikongo A 2019. Police seize tusks, animal hides.

The Namibian Police last week seized an array of wildlife products comprising elephant tusks, kudu horns and hides, civet skin and warthog carcasses, amongst others.

Wednesday, 9 October 2019
Shikongo A 2019. Two arraigned over 100 ivory pieces.

Two men were arrested for being found in possession of 100 pieces of ivory, a summary of wildlife crime statistics from 30 September to 6 October details.

Tuesday, 10 September 2019
Shikongo A 2019. Police, suspected poacher exchange gunfire.

A 40-year-old suspected rhino poacher exchanged gunfire with a team of 15 Namibian Police officers and members of the Namibian Defence Force for nearly two hours on a farm outside Otavi on Sunday.

Friday, 24 May 2019
Shikongo A 2019. Justice ministry to prioritise wildlife crime.

Government is tightening the noose on wildlife crime syndicates as the country's flora and fauna increasingly become endangered.

Shikongo A 2021. Intensified anti-poaching efforts bear results.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism says intensified efforts against poaching and other wildlife crimes are bearing results as law-enforcement agencies continue to wrangle poaching suspects.

NOT FOUND WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR? AMEND YOUR SEARCH...