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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 - 10 of 10
Friday, 27 January 2023
Mabuza E 2023. Third time unlucky for poacher as he is sentenced to 32 years in jail.

The Skukuza regional court on Thursday convicted and sentenced a man who had been arrested in the Kruger National Park on three separate occasions to an effective 32 years' imprisonment for poaching-related offences. Forster Lubisi, 43, was convicted of three counts of trespassing, two counts of possession of a prohibited firearm with a serial number obliterated, possession of ammunition, possession of a dangerous weapon, killing of a rhino and possession of an unlicensed firearm. He pleaded guilty to the crimes.

Tuesday, 24 January 2023
Mabuza E 2023. Table Mountain ranger attacked as six alleged abalone poachers arrested.

A sea, air and mountain (Seam) special operations ranger was injured by a suspected poacher who was resisting arrest at the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) in the early hours of Tuesday. About 11.30pm on Monday, the park's operations room staff received information about suspected poachers operating in the park’s marine protected area near Glencairn. "Seam operators responded and, with the assistance of the police, successfully stopped a vehicle suspected of being involved in the incident," South African National Parks said in a statement.

Thursday, 22 September 2022
Mabuza E 2022. Rhino horn trafficking must be treated as transnational organised crime, say wildlife organisations.

Law enforcement agencies globally must address rhino horn trafficking as transnational organised crime, with an increased focus on the higher-level actors in the supply chain. This was the main message that emerged from a joint webinar hosted by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) SA and the Wildlife Justice Commission to mark World Rhino Day on Thursday. Malaysian customs officials say they have seized a stash of rare animal parts worth $18 million thought to have come from Africa, including elephant tusks, rhino horns and pangolin scales.

Wednesday, 2 February 2022
Madzianike N 2022. Nurse aide fined for possession of leopard skin.

A nurse aide at Siyakobvu Hospital in Kariba was today fined $20 000 for possessing a leopard skin worth $2 308 400, which he was selling in Harare's Central Business District.

Tuesday, 1 February 2022
Madzianike N 2022. Nurse aide nabbed with leopard skin.

A nurse aide at Siyakobvu Hospital in Kariba appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court on allegations of possessing a leopard skin worth $2 308 400, which he was selling in Harare's Central Business District.

Sunday, 24 October 2021
Mabuza E 2021. Department welcomes hefty sentences imposed on three rhino poachers.

The department of forestry, fisheries and the environment has welcomed the hefty sentences handed down by a North West court to three rhino poachers on Wednesday. The Mogwase regional court handed down sentences of 85 years each to Mozambican nationals Arlindo Muhlanga, Adam Hlongwane and Gamula Chauke. The men were arrested in 2018 after the poaching and dehorning of three white rhino cows in the Pilanesberg Game Reserve.

Saturday, 21 August 2021
Munhende L 2021. Zimbabwe - A major transit route for smuggling of critically endangered shell fish to China.

Investigations by the Centre for Natural Resource Governance (CNRG) have revealed Zimbabwe is now a major transit route for smuggling of valuable but critically endangered shell fish, abalone, to China and other countries.

Friday, 12 March 2021
Madzianike N 2021. St George's College clerk caught with ivory.

A clerk at St George's College in Harare appeared in court after he was arrested in the capital’s suburb of Budiriro, while attempting to trade raw ivory worth US$2 099.

Monday, 25 May 2020
Munhende L 2020. Spike in wildlife poaching as poachers take advantage of lockdown laxities.

Zimbabwe has realised a spike in wildlife poaching as the wildlife management authority has redirected efforts towards combating the spread of Covid-19 during the current lockdown period, a top lobby has said.

World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) 2023. Namibia is taking the fight to poachers and traffickers. Conservation and the Environment in Namibia 43-47

For the past three decades Namibia has adopted conservation approaches that have expanded the range and increased the population sizes of many wildlife species, including black rhinoceros, elephants, and large carnivores. Wildlife recoveries have been particularly noteworthy within the communal areas of Namibia, attributed to the emergence of communal conservancies since 1996. Namibia's progressive legislation has allowed people living with wildlife to benefit from these natural resources, resulting in community stewardship, goodwill, and support for nature conservation.

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