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.
Explore your search results using the filter checkboxes, or amend your search or start a new search.
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.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
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.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
NAM_2024_09_400 timber planks confiscated in Kavango West_The Namibian.pdf | 238.02 KB |
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.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
NAM_2024_09_Anti_poaching units fingered in wildlife poaching_The Namibian.pdf | 408.35 KB |
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
NAM_2024_02_Judges order release of alleged poachers_Namibian Sun.pdf | 229.63 KB |
Die twee mans wat tereggestaan het op aanklagte van stropery, Hermanus Kharugab en Ashley Eiseb, is ingevolge 'n uitspraak in 'n hersieningsaansoek in die hoërhof in Windhoek vrygelaat. Eiseb, wat volgens 'n lid van die Nossob Misdaadvoorkomingsforum, 'n "groot probleem is", en Kharugab is in November verlede jaar in hegtenis geneem ná hulle glo 'n motor gehuur het om wild in die Okahandja-omgewing te stroop. Regters Boas Usiku en Naomi Shivute het die skuldigbevindings en vonnisse teen beide mans tersyde gestel en beveel dat hulle uit aanhouding vrygelaat moet word.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
NAM_2024_02_Gewoontestropers vrygelaat_Republikein.pdf | 446.08 KB |
NAM_2024_02_Habitual poachers released_Republikein_Eng.pdf | 769.4 KB |
"Dis 'n outjie wat ons al lankal pla. Hy is al vantevore op Seeis toegesluit omdat ons hom met 'n gesteelde 5 000 liter-tenk gevang het en daar was nog gemsbokke agterop die voertuig ook," sê die bron. Volgens die persoon is hulle groep ingelig oor ses stropers wat bedrywig was tussen Vrydag en Sondag.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
NAM_2023_11_Vermeende stropers verskyn weer vrydag_Republikein.pdf | 289.39 KB |
NAM_2023_11_Suspected poachers appear again on Friday_Republikein_Eng.pdf | 328.07 KB |
Nachdem eine Anti-Wilderer-Einheit zwei Wilddiebe gefasst hatte, stellt sich heraus, dass sich diese scheinbaren Gewohnheitsverbrecher für zahlreiche Wilderei-Fälle oder sogar wegen versuchten Mordes im Gericht verantworten müssen. Staatsankläger scheinen die schwerwiegenden Vorwürfe kaum zu beachten, sodass die Angeklagten oft ungeschoren davonkommen.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
NAM_2023_11_Wilddiebe wiederholt Angeklagt_Allgemeine Zeitung.pdf | 388.85 KB |
NAM_2023_11_Poachers repeatedly charged_Allgemeine Zeitung_Eng.pdf | 423.46 KB |
'n Klag van poging tot moord is by die polisie aangemeld ná 'n man glo in die been geskiet is toe polisieen bewaringsbeamptes van die omgewingsministerie drie verdagtes agtervolg het. Die verdagtes het glo in verskeie rigtings te voet probeer wegkom en in die proses is waarskuwingskote glo afgevuur. Een van die skoté het klaarblyklik een van die verdagtes getref. Hy is na die hospitaal geneem en polisie het beslag gelê op die olifanttande wat die verdagtes glo gestroop het.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
NAM_2023_05_Vermeende stroper in been geskiet_Republikein.pdf | 359.99 KB |
NAM_2023_05_Suspected poacher shot in the leg_Republikein_Eng.pdf | 354.69 KB |
A charge of attempted murder has been reported to the police after a man was allegedly shot in the leg when police and conservation officers pursued three suspects. The suspects reportedly attempted to escape on foot in various directions, and warning shots were apparently fired in the process. One of the shots apparently hit one of the suspects. He was taken to the hospital, and the police seized the elephant tusks that the suspects allegedly poached.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
NAM_2023_05_Alleged poached shot in leg_Namibian Sun.pdf | 300.38 KB |
Die Verdächtigen sollen versucht haben, zu Fuß in verschiedene Richtungen zu fliehen, und dabei sollen Warnschüsse abgegeben worden sein. Einer der Schüsse soll einen der Verdächtigen getroffen haben. Er wurde ins Krankenhaus gebracht, und die Polizei beschlagnahmte die Elefantenstoßzähne, die die Verdächtigen angeblich gewildert hatten.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
NAM_2023_05_Mutmasslicher Wilderer mit Schuss ins Bein_Allgemeine Zeitung.pdf | 339.93 KB |
NAM_2023_Suspected poacher shot in the leg_Allgemeine Zeitung_Eng.pdf | 321.46 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.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
NAM_2023_02_Reward offered for arrest of rhino poachers_The Namibian.pdf | 241.03 KB |
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
ZIM_2023_02_30 poachers arrested_15 guns recovered in Kariba_The Herald.pdf | 566.81 KB |
The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism says 63 rhinos have been poached since January this year.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
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.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
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.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
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.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
NAM_2022_09_Heavy sentence as preacher admits rhino poaching_The Namibian.pdf | 878.5 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.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
NAM_2022_06_Two arrested for suspected rhino poaching_The Namibian.pdf | 232.53 KB |
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.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
NAM_2021_12_Man arrested over elephant tusks_The Namibian.pdf | 1.03 MB |
In all, 11 nationals, including firearm suppliers, poachers and game vendors, were arrested last week in Luengue-Luiana National Park, Cuando Cubango province.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
ANG_2020-07_Dismantled poaching net and weapon snipers_Provinces_Jornal de Angola_Online.pdf | 244.75 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.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
NAM_2021_10_Nine men arrested for wildlife crime in one week_The Namibian.pdf | 275.97 KB |