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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 - 22 of 22
Tuesday, 27 February 2024
2024. South Africa sees marked rise in rhino poaching.
The South African Environment Ministry said on Tuesday that the number of rhinos poached in the country had risen by more than 10% in 2023 compared with the previous year. International trade of rhino horn is prohibited but rhino horn continues to be smuggled to Asia, where it is highly valued, especially in Vietnam and China. How the figures broke down - The ministry said 499 black and white rhinoceroses were killed in 2023, mostly in state-run parks, compared with 448 the previous year.
Monday, 29 January 2024
Marais R 2024. Illegal perlemoen trade booming despite anti-poaching efforts.

One of Algoa Bay’s most valuable resources is being poached and plundered at an alarming rate. Nelson Mandela Bay has experienced a string of perlemoen-related incidents over the past few days, with experts in the field saying the illegal trade of this protected shellfish is now at an all-time high.

Saturday, 9 December 2023
2023. Man found with rifle in Kruger National Park gets six-year jail term.

The Skukuza regional court on Friday sentenced a Mozambican national Joshua Mongwe to six years' imprisonment for poaching-related offences. The accused, 29, pleaded guilty to the offence and was subsequently convicted of trespassing in the Kruger National Park, contravention of Immigration Act, possession of ammunition.

Thursday, 16 November 2023
Nel B 2023. Man, 28, found with perlemoen worth R3m.

Gqeberha police arrested a 28-year-old man on Wednesday after allegedly discovering perlemoen with an estimated street value of R3m in the bakkie he was driving.

Wednesday, 30 August 2023
2023. Elephant tusk, meat carcasses, guns and blue lights seized in Alex bust.

Gauteng police have seized meat carcasses hijacked from a delivery truck, guns and ammunition, blue lights and signal jammers at a property in Alexandra, Johannesburg. An elephant tusk was also found at the 7th Avenue premises during Tuesday's operation, said police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi.

Sunday, 27 August 2023
2023. Perlemoen suspect arrested after 'evading arrest' for two years.

The Gqeberha-based economic protected resources team under the serious organised crime Investigation unit of the Hawks arrested a 43-year-old man on Friday for possession of perlemoen. The suspect joins his 10 co-accused, previously arrested in Algoa Park in May for allegedly being in possession of perlemoen, as well as running a yshing operation without a permit.

Tuesday, 16 May 2023
Mametela T 2023. Ten in court for possession of perlemoen.

Ten suspects arrested for allegedly running an illegal perlemoen operation appeared in the Gqeberha magistrate’s court on Monday. Acting on a tip-off, the Hawks' Economic Protected Resources team in Gqeberha followed up on information about perlemoen activities at a residential premises in Algoa Park. Surveillance was conducted and law enforcement was granted a warrant to execute a search on Thursday last week, leading to the discovery of an alleged illegal operation.

Tuesday, 21 March 2023
Rogers G 2023. Wilderness Foundation offers reward to stop Eastern Cape rhino poaching.

The Wilderness Foundation has offered a reward in an effort to put the brakes on the recent spate of rhino poaching in the Eastern Cape.

Saturday, 4 February 2023
Rogers G 2023. Schotia rhinos Bonnie and Clyde killed by poachers and dehorned.

Two rhinos that survived a poaching attack at Schotia Safaris Private Game Reserve, near Nanaga, nearly 10 years ago were killed by poachers on Thursday. After disabling the pair of male and female white rhinos in the attack, the poachers hacked off their horns with pangas before making their escape.

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.

Monday, 21 November 2022
2022. Men nabbed with stolen firearms and ivory.

Two men were arrested for the possession of stolen firearms, ivory and other property on Friday in Cape St Francis.

Saturday, 8 October 2022
Rogers G 2022. Rhino poaching conspiracy ruling boosts conservation efforts.

Rhino conservation has received a major boost with the recent Gqeberha sentencing of a gang convicted of conspiring to poach rhino. The September 22 sentencing of the Chitlongo Three in the Gqeberha Regional Court, the first achieved under National Environmental Management Act "conspiracy to poach" legislation, gives SA lawmakers a lethal new weapon to pursue suspects who have often escaped prosecution in the past because of a lack of evidence.

Friday, 12 August 2022
2022. Illegal wildlife trade.

Despite international agreements to combat illegal wildlife trade, poaching and trafficking is booming. Governments are meeting Wednesday in Botswana to evaluate current measures. As illegal wildlife activity reaches alarmingly high levels worldwide, governments are meeting in Kasane, Botswana, Wednesday to discuss the success of current measures against poaching and wildlife trafficking.

Attachment Size
AFR_2022_08_Illegal wildlife trade_DW.pdf 530.64 KB
Friday, 29 October 2021
Zulu M 2021. Community wildlife conservation programs should go beyond meetings, self-help projects and poacher arrests.

A number of approaches have been used to safeguard different natural resources. Use, and vulnerability mainly depends on its social, and economic value. Wildlife, considerably more valuable- has generated a lot of interest as concerned parties try to apply different approaches to ensure that it is protected. It is unfortunate that some of the wildlife species, like animals' numbers that dwindled because human beings always target them as a means of survival or tampered with their habitats.

Friday, 6 August 2021
Mgidi S 2021. Two suspects caught with 39 black bags of perlemoen.

Two men have been arrested in Jansenville with 39 black bags of perlemoen worth about R432,000 and an illegal firearm in their possession.

Tuesday, 8 June 2021
Mgidi S 2021. Six arrested and perlemoen worth R1.4m seized.

A high-speed chase by the Gqeberha flying squad and a private anti-poaching unit resulted in the arrest of six people for the illegal possession of perlemoen on Tuesday morning.

Wednesday, 26 May 2021
Koen D 2021. Four arrested for perlemoen poaching near Port Alfred.

Four men were arrested after allegedly being found in possession of perlemoen and diving equipment near Port Alfred on Tuesday. An off-duty Port Alfred police officer apprehended four men after allegedly catching them with about R13,000 worth of perlemoen. Police spokesperson Captain Mali Govender said the officer, based at a unit in Port Alfred, received information about possible perlemoen poachers in the Kasouga area.

Wednesday, 9 September 2020
2020. New tracking technology will help fight rhino poaching in Namibia.

Interactive software that 'reads' and analyzes footprints left by black rhinoceroses can be used to monitor the movements of the animals in the wild, giving conservationists a new way to keep watch on the endangered species and help keep it safe from poachers, according to a new study.

Wednesday, 26 August 2020
Ncube L 2020. 2 Binga folks arrested for possessing live pangolin.

Two villagers from Binga have been arrested in Zambia after they were found in possession of a live pangolin they allegedly intended to sell in the neighbouring country.

Monday, 24 August 2020
2020. Poachers threaten viability of safari hunting industry in Hwange.

Rampant poaching activities in Matetsi area of Hwange District are threatening the viability of safari hunting industry, a leading safari operator has said. In an interview with Business Chronicle safari operator, Mr Wisdom Bushe Neshavi, said the upsurge in poaching case is crippling safari hunting, which is already reeling under the effects of the novel Covid-19) pandemic.

Wednesday, 27 May 2020
Ncube L 2020. Footie star arrested over elephant tusks.

Football Club player Craven Banda has been arrested after he was allegedly found with eight raw elephant tusks.

Thursday, 9 April 2020
Muleya T 2020. Poacher shot dead In shootout.

A suspected poacher was killed while his accomplice escaped following a shootout with game rangers on Wednesday at Bubye Valley Conservancy, some 60km west of Beitbridge town. The two men allegedly killed a male lion, before rangers caught up with them while in the process of killing a black rhinoceros.

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