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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
Thursday, 4 April 2024
Weidlich B 2024. Drahtschlinge bei Nashornkuh entfernt.

Tierärzte haben einem Nashorn eine Drahtschlinge aus dem Bein operiert. Ein schon älteres und ziemlich großes Nashorn auf einer Farm im Süden Namibias mit einer alten und teilweise verheilten Wunde am linken Hinterbein fing wieder an zu humpeln. Tierärzte stellten fest, dass der Dickhäuter seit Jahren eine Drahtschlinge, wie sie Wilderer gebrauchen, in ihrem unteren Bein verwachsen mit sich herumschleppte. Die Nashornkuh war damals wohl den Wilddieben entkommen und die Wunde verheilte, indem sich Gewebe um die Drahtschlinge bildete.

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.

Tuesday, 21 June 2022
Weidlich B 2022. Kampf gegen Wilderei intensiviert.

"Wir haben neu organisiert und Änderungen in der AWE vorgenommen", kündigte der Minister gestern auf einer Presskonferenz an. Der Leiter der AWE, Ndahangwapo Kashihakumwa ist jetzt in Etoscha und bleibt dort stationiert und wird einige Änderungen vornehmen. „Unsere Leute waren zu selbstzufrieden (complacent). Wir müssen auch annehmen, dass Personal wahrscheinlich Informationen über die Nashörner an die Wilderer weitergegeben haben kann, also ein 'inside job' sagte der Minister.

Friday, 22 April 2022
Weidlich B 2022. Mehr Bemühungen zum Artenschutz.

Schutzgebiete sind auch Namibias wichtigste Touristenattraktionen und gelten als Schlüssel zur Erholung des Tourismussektors. Namibia hat 86 registrierte kommunale Hegegebiete und 43 Gemeinschaftswälder, die zusammen fast 22 % der Landmasse des Landes bedecken.

Protected areas are also Namibia's top tourist attractions and are considered key to the recovery of the tourism sector. Namibia has 86 registered communal conservancies and 43 community forests, which together cover nearly 22% of the country's landmass.

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.

Wednesday, 22 September 2021
Rademeyer J, Shaw J 2021. Saving rhinos is a litmus test for tackling organised crime and corruption in South Africa.

Eleven years ago today, Dawie Groenewald, a little-known ex-policeman turned hunting safari operator, was arrested on charges of masterminding a lucrative rhino horn trafficking network involving professional hunters, vets and a pilot. A police spokesperson described the case at the time as "a huge stride in our undying efforts to thwart rhino poaching". The charges brought against Groenewald involved illegal hunting and the alleged killing of more than 50 of his own rhinos, dealing in rhino horns, money laundering, racketeering and fraud.

Monday, 30 July 2018
Shapwanale N 2018. Businessmen 'prey' on poor Namibians to poach rhino for international syndicates.

Well-heeled businessmen are allegedly driving the trade in poached rhino horn in Namibia, using marginal communities as foot soldiers, an amaBhungane/The Namibian investigation has revealed. The role of local entrepreneurs in the horn trade has not previously been highlighted. The popular perception in Namibia is that Chinese nationals are the kingpins in charge of the trade.

Wednesday, 24 May 2017
Shapwanale N 2017. Courier worker suspected in rhino horn smuggling.

Police are investigating an employee of a multinational courier company for attempting to smuggle rhino  horns through Eros airport, police spokesperson, commissioner Edwin Kanguatjivi said yesterday.

Friday, 31 March 2017
Shapwanale N 2017. Four arrested over Zambezi poaching.

The police this week arrested two Zambians and two Namibians in the Zambezi region after they were found with elephant tusks and rhino horns.

Thursday, 15 December 2016
Shapwanale N 2016. Criminal Chinese tarnishing name - embassy.

The Chinese embassy in Namibia said it will not allow a few of its nationals who have been arrested in connection with poaching to tarnish their country's image.

Monday, 28 January 2013
Weidlich B 2013. Namibia offers model to tackle poaching scourge.

Faced with poachers who are ravaging elephant and rhino populations, African nations could do worse than look to Namibia for a game plan to combat the scourge.

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