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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Namibia's special environmental court operations have resulted in fines worth N$4,9 million in one year. These special courts were conducted at Katima Mulilo, Rundu, Okahao, Outapi and in Windhoek for 42 days between April 2022 and March 2023. Prosecutor general Martha Imalwa revealed this at the official opening of the Environmental Crimes Court at Otjiwarongo on Monday. "We see the total of cases amounted to 162 on the court rolls from April 2022 to March 2023.
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NAM_2024_09_Special environmental courts yield Ns 4_9 million_The Namibian.pdf | 254.53 KB |
Approximately 400 timber planks were confiscated in the Kavango West region this month. This is according to Kavango West police regional commander Julia Sakuwa-Neo, speaking at a media briefing at Nkurenkuru yesterday. "During August, close to 400 timber planks were intercepted and confiscated after establishing that no permits or authorisation was granted," Sakuwa-Neo said. The timber was confiscated during police operations conducted in a span of one week, she added.
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NAM_2024_09_400 timber planks confiscated in Kavango West_The Namibian.pdf | 238.02 KB |
King Misuzulu kaZwelithini issued a warning to criminals within communities to stop damaging Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife game reserves’ fencing including cutting fences and stealing poles. The King was speaking during a meeting with an Ezemvelo delegation at his palace in Pongola on Thursday. During his presentation to the King, Ezemvelo chief executive officer Sihle Mkhize, informed the King that Ezemvelo faces challenges beyond rhino poaching, including criminals within neighbouring communities stealing fence materials and poles.
Members of anti-poaching units are sometimes involved in poaching or trafficking themselves, a latest report shows. This is according to a protection and law-enforcement report released by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism last week. Moreover, the report says 83 people have been arrested in connection with poaching and conspiring to poach rhinos and committing other wildlife crimes last year. It states that 39 people were arrested after pre-emptive investigations in 2023, while follow-up investigations related to rhino poaching have led to 44 arrests.
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NAM_2024_09_Anti_poaching units fingered in wildlife poaching_The Namibian.pdf | 408.35 KB |
A group of private game farmers, Help our Rhino Now Namibia (HoRN.nam), is offering a reward of N$100 000 for information leading to the arrest of poachers who shot a rhino at a farm near Windhoek. HoRN.nam said in a media statement on Wednesday that rhino poaching has escalated in Namibia over the past 18 months. The organisation says this poses a real and critical threat to the well-being and future survival of Namibian rhino populations.
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NAM_2023_02_Reward offered for arrest of rhino poachers_The Namibian.pdf | 241.03 KB |
The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism says 63 rhinos have been poached since January this year.
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NAM_2022_11_63 rhinos poached so far this year_The Namibian.pdf | 279.7 KB |
Six people were arrested for rhino poaching, and one suspect for being in possession of a pangolin skin, states the report.
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NAM_2022_11_Seven arrested for wildlife crime in one week_The Namibian.pdf | 278.67 KB |
The minister of environment, forestry and tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, says 36 people have been arrested for rhino-related cases this year alone. Shifeta was speaking at the handover of 10 vehicles, park management and law enforcement equipment funded by the Integrated National Park Management II (NamParks V and Covid-19 Fund) and Integrated Wildlife Protection projects in Windhoek on Wednesday. According to Shifeta, it is of great concern that 55 rhinos have been poached to date this year. "This is compared to 44 rhinos poached in 2021.
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NAM_2022_10_Rhino poaching cases on the rise_The Namibian.pdf | 537.99 KB |
The preacher and admitted rhinoceros poacher Jackson Babi is facing a prison term of at least 10 years, which would increase to 27 years if he does not pay fines also imposed on him, after pleading guilty on 11 criminal charges in the Gobabis Regional Court.
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NAM_2022_09_Heavy sentence as preacher admits rhino poaching_The Namibian.pdf | 878.5 KB |
The Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, has called on members of conservancies to refrain from poaching and misuse of funds. Furthermore, he stated the ministry has unearthed a possible syndicate of poaching, involving conservancy members.
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NAM_2022_07_Minister warns conservancy members against poaching_New Era.pdf | 411.41 KB |
Two male suspects were arrested on Thursday in connection with the poaching of 11 rhinos in Etosha National Park. This was confirmed by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda. "They were arrested yesterday and, at this stage, no further information can be given as investigations are still premature," Muyunda said. Earlier this week, the ministry issued a statement saying the carcasses were discovered during ongoing operations in Etosha National Park. The carcasses are suspected to be three weeks and older, according to the report.
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NAM_2022_06_Two arrested for suspected rhino poaching_The Namibian.pdf | 232.53 KB |
Durban - A 45-year-old man convicted of rhino poaching was sentenced to 28 years in prison by the Empangeni Regional Court.
A 71-year-old man was arrested after allegedly being found in possession of four elephant tusks on Thursday. According to the police, the man was arrested at Nonidas River Plots at Swakopmund.
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NAM_2021_12_Man arrested over elephant tusks_The Namibian.pdf | 1.03 MB |
A police sting operation has led to the arrest of two Gauteng men who allegedly tried to sell a lion's head in the North West. The men were arrested after a police agent intercepted their plan. They were allegedly looking for a traditional healer to buy the animal's head for R350 000.
Poachers have turned to snare trapping to capture animals in the Kruger National Park, including some endangered species, and use poisoned carcases to lure them. Many of the trapped animals die and their carcasses rot. Rangers and other officials have been combing through the 19 485 km² Kruger National Park, which houses the country's Big Five, in search of injured and trapped animals. Poachers have targeted almost all sections of the park. Wild dogs, lions and small antelopes are some of the animals that have been trapped.
KwaZulu-Natal wildlife is "under attack" by illegal hunters across the province says Blessed Gwala, the IFP spokesperson for community safety and liaison. Last week the carcasses of four dehorned rhinos were found in the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park.
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SA_2020-12_KZN wildlife under siege from illegal hunters_IOL.pdf | 104.59 KB |
Nine men were arrested within six days in connection with the possession of the carcasses of wild animals, live pangolins, and a python skin.
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NAM_2021_10_Nine men arrested for wildlife crime in one week_The Namibian.pdf | 275.97 KB |