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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Namibian authorities are investigating a surge in rhino poaching that has seen 28 rhinos poached already this year, two-thirds of them in the Southern African country's flagship Etosha National Park. It was particularly concerning that 19 rhinos were poached in Etosha this year, given the park is a focus for conservation efforts and a major international tourist attraction, the environment ministry said in a statement on Monday.
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NAM_2024_04_Namibia investigates surge in rhino poaching in Etosha park_Reuters.pdf | 113.1 KB |
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SA_2024_02_Rhino poaching in South Africa increases in 2023_Reuters.pdf | 829.65 KB |
Police at Chileka in Blantyre District have arrested two men for allegedly being found in possession of a dead pangolin. According to Sergeant Jonathan Phillipo who is Chileka police public relations officer, the suspects have been identified as Vincent McLoud, 23, and Noah Mgawa Nikolasi, 55. Sergeant Phillipo said Chileka Police Detectives arrested the two on Monday September 25, 2023 at Puli Village following a tip-off by well-wishers.
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MAL_2023_09_Two arrested for possessing dead pangolin in Blantyre_Malawi24.pdf | 62.12 KB |
Two Mozambicans have been arrested in Mchinji after being found with a Pangolin. Public relations officer for Mchinji Police Station Limbani Mpinganjira has identified the two as Jackson Yakobe, 40, and Selemani Felix, 46. They were arrested on May 26, 2023 at around 7:00pm after officers from Department of Wildlife and Parks tipped Kamwendo Police that the two were offering for sale a live pangolin at Kadziyang’ane Trading Centre. Upon interrogations, the suspects revealed that the animal was taken from Mozambique and they were searching for a possible market in…
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MAL_2023_05_Two Mozambicans found with pangolin in Malawi_Malawi24.pdf | 610.85 KB |
Vietnamese authorities have over the past week seized more than 600 kilograms of ivory smuggled from Africa, the government said on Monday. Trade in ivory is illegal in Vietnam but wildlife trafficking remains widespread. Other items often found smuggled into the country include pangolin scales, rhino horns and tiger carcasses. Customs authorities in the northern port city of Haiphong on Monday found nearly 130 kilograms of ivory hidden in a container of cow horns originated from Africa, the government said in a statement.
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AFR_2023_02_Vietnam seizes 600 kg of ivory smuggled from Africa_Reuters.pdf | 345.73 KB |
The number of endangered rhinos poached in Namibia reached an all-time high last year after 87 animals were killed compared to 45 in 2021, official government data showed on Monday. The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said poachers killed 61 black and 26 white rhinos mainly in Namibia's largest park, Etosha, where 46 rhinos were found dead.
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NAM_2023_01_Namibia rhino poaching surged 93 percent in 2022_Reuters.pdf | 322.79 KB |
Zimbabwe has started removing the horns of its entire rhino population to deter poaching. The de-horning process of more than 1,000 animals is being done by veterinarians from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, according to its spokesman Tinashe Farawo. They will be cut off after the rhinos have been anesthetized, and typically grow back within a year.
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ZIM_2022_09_Zimbabwe rhinos horns to be removed to deter poaching_Bloomberg.pdf | 170.8 KB |
Police in Mangochi have arrested a 50-year old man for possession of nine pieces of ivory.
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MAL_2022_07_Man nabbed for possessing Ivory_Malawi24.pdf | 408.87 KB |
The Lilongwe Senior Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday sentenced 61-year-old Maliko Mndekano Mwale to 10 years imprisonment with hard labour for illegal possession of ivory. Mwale was found guilty of possession and dealing in government trophy contrary to Section 86 of the National Parks and Wildlife Act of 2017. Public Relations Officer for Lingazi Police Station Sub Inspector Salomy Zgambo has confirmed the conviction of Maliko Mndekano Mwale.
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MAL_2022_05_Man gets 10 years in jail for illegal possession of ivory_Malawi24.pdf | 402.77 KB |
Police in Mchinji have arrested two men for allegedly being found in possession of a live Pangolin. The two have been identified as Mavuto Jophris aged 33 and Mandera Masauso aged 34. The arrest of the two suspects follows a tip off police received on May 12, 2022 that the two were offering for sell a live Pangolin which was concealed in an empty sack and placed in a backpack.
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MAL_2022_05_Two found with pangolin in Mchinji_Malawi24.pdf | 163.63 KB |
As the cases of wildlife crime are on rise, Lilongwe Wildlife Trust has trained journalists in the country to follow and report court case procedures on Wildlife crimes accurately and in a professional manner.
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MAL_2022_03_Journalists trained to report wildlife stories accurately_Malawi24.pdf | 433.89 KB |
Namwera Police Post in Mangochi has arrested Alex Jumbe, 50, for being found with a Pangolin. Mangochi Police Publicist Amina Tepani Daudi said the suspect who hails from Nakapa Village, Traditional Authority Bwananyambi in Mangochi was apprehended on March 16, 2022 at Mwambwanjira Trading Centre. Daudi added that Namwera Police detectives were tipped by members of the community that the suspect was offering for sale the listed species at the trading centre.
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MAL_2022_03_Man arrested over Pangolin in Mangochi_Malawi24.pdf | 399.01 KB |
United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator Malawi Rudolf Schwenk says the increased trends in poaching of animals such as elephants and pangolins in Malawi is very worrying and if left unaddressed, wildlife trafficking will continue to be a threat to achievement of sustainable development in the country.
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MAL_2022_02_UN says wildlife crime in Malawi needs to be fully addressed_malawi24.pdf | 395.75 KB |
Authorities in Democratic Republic of Congo have seized $3.5 million worth of ivory, rhinoceros horn and pangolin scales in a joint operation with United States officials, the U.S. embassy in Kinshasa said on Monday. Two wildlife traffickers were also arrested in the United States on Nov. 4, following a more than two-year investigation between the two countries and global police agency Interpol.
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CON_2021_11_Congo seizes us3_5 mln of ivory_rhino horn and pangolin scales_Reuters.pdf | 1.89 MB |
Mangochi Police have arrested Group Village Headman Maundu aged 49 and Rashid White Jusa, 55, over possession of pangolin.
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MAL_2021_10_Two arrested for possessing Pangolin in Mangochi_Malawi 24_Malawi news.pdf | 882.8 KB |
The Botswana government is moving rhinos out of the Okavango Delta after a surge in poaching that has seen 92 of the endangered animals killed in the past two years, compared to just seven in 2010 to 2018. The delta is one of two World Heritage Sites in the southern African country, a 20,000 square-kilometer (7,700 square-mile) wetland populated by 130 animal species, including white and black rhinos. It's Botswana's premier tourist attraction and the rhinos are a major drawcard.
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BOT_2021_10_Botswana moves rhinos out of Okavango Delta as poaching worsens_Bloomberg.pdf | 161.85 KB |
Two people have been arrested in Mulanje for being found with pangolin, a protected animal which is trafficked for its scales.
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MAL_2021_05_Two arrested over pangolin possession_Malawi 24_Malawi news.pdf | 876.07 KB |
The strict limits on travel, including international travel, imposed in March last year had the happy side effect of keeping poachers at bay. In 2020, 394 rhinos were poached, 30% fewer than the year before and the lowest yearly tally since 2011. But then South Africa began easing international travel restrictions in November. "Since November, December last year and into 2021, this landscape and particularly Kruger National Park has been experiencing serious numbers of rhino poaching incidents," said Jo Shaw, the Africa Rhino Lead for WWF International Network.
Caracals living in Noordhoek wetlands are under siege from all sides, facing considerable threats to their survival. This nocturnal and elusive wild cat native to Africa has become a prime target for ruthless poachers who capture them for bushmeat or sell their body parts on the illegal wildlife black market. Caracals also face increased habitat loss and lack of habitat connectivity.
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SA_2020-12_Caracals under seize from poachers infiltrating Noordhoek Wetlands_Network for Animals.pdf | 962.96 KB |
Rhino poaching fell 63% year-on-year in Namibia, the ministry of environment said on Friday, citing intensified intelligence operations by authorities and tougher sentences and fines for poachers.
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NAM_2020-08_Rhino poaching in Namibia down 63 percent on tougher policing penalties_Reuters.pdf | 358.49 KB |