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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 - 14 of 14
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.

Wednesday, 20 December 2023
Walters T 2023. Turning the tide? 'We’ve lost just one rhino in 350 days' - Sabi Sand.

South Africa's most exclusive enclave of private nature reserves reveals their hidden security nerve centre - and shows what they've done to thwart horn poachers for nearly a record year.

Sunday, 19 November 2023
Walters T 2023. Skukuza court gives two accused snare poachers a slap on the wrist despite 'admission' of guilt.

Snaring has surged 200% in the Kruger National Park, also causing lion extinctions elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa.

Tuesday, 31 October 2023
Walters T 2023. Decline in Kruger rhino-poaching rates woefully drives shift to commercial bushmeat, reveals park ranger.

A void left by illegal horn income may now be driving neighbouring communities to snare and shoot species such as African buffalo in the park's southwest sector. Despite the lowveld’s searing heat, thorny canopy and tough terrain, Kruger's staff and honorary rangers say they are fighting back - on foot.

Monday, 9 October 2023
Walters T 2023. Snaring in Kruger National Park spikes more than 200% amid socioeconomic crisis.

Since 2020, snaring has tripled in the crown jewels of South Africa's Big Five reserves. This suggests economic hardship, although it is not the sole factor to blame. Responding to questions by the Democratic Alliance’s Hannah Winkler on the park’s snaring trends, Environment Minister Barbara Creecy reported the removal of thousands of snares: In 2020, 2,407 snares were removed; In 2021, 4,454 snares were removed; In 2022, 7,270 snares were removed.

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.

Tuesday, 25 May 2021
Tshuma N 2021. Abalone poacher fined R50 000 for R2.4 million haul.

Cape Town - The Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries has joined the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation in welcoming the sentencing of a 49-year-old man for the illegal possession and transportation of abalone valued at R2.4 million. Moegamat Amien Fakier was sentenced to a fine of R50 000 or two years' imprisonment when he appeared in the Khayelitsha Priority Court on Thursday last week.

Thursday, 20 May 2021
Tshuma N 2021. Collectors drive a spike in theft of indigenous plants in the Western Cape.

Cape Town - CapeNature says it has noted a worrying spike in the theft of indigenous plants in the province. It said it has begun to notice that crimes relating to the theft of endangered indigenous plants in the province had begun to steadily increase, even under strict Covid-19 restrictions. CapeNature spokesperson Petro van Rhyn said while there were several reasons why the illegal trade had picked up recently, the most notable reasons pointed to the huge demand by plant collectors to own the naturally occurring plants, native to South Africa and…

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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