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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 - 11 of 11
Thursday, 19 October 2023
2023. Mozambique: SERNIC arrests two in possession of elephant tusks.

Mozambique's National Criminal Investigation Service (Sernic) on Wednesday detained two individuals, in Beira city, in the central province of Sofala, who were caught redhanded in the possession of elephant tusks that they were trying to sell.

Friday, 22 September 2023
2023. Mozambique: SERNIC arrests two for poaching.

Mozambique's National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) has arrested two people in Moatize district, in the central province of Tete, for attempting to sell a pangolin.

Wednesday, 23 August 2023
Lukas J 2023. Use of wire snares for illegal hunting on the rise.

A total of 62 active wire snares have been retrieved in Okaukuejo, an area around the Etosha National Park, in three days. According to the spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT), Romeo Muyunda, the illegal hunting and killing of wild animals using wire snares is increasing in Etosha National Park, causing concern for the Ministry. Muyunda said the practice of using wire snares for hunting is unsanctioned, illegal and punishable by law.

Wednesday, 26 April 2023
2023. Man arrested in possession of a leopard skull and skin in central Mozambique.

A 40-year-old man has been arrested in possession of a leopard skull and skin, the National Criminal Investigation Service of Mozambique (Sernic) has announced. "The man was caught red-handed on April 22," Sernic spokesman Alfeu Sitoe said at a press conference in the city of Beira. The suspect claimed to have received the product from a friend, now a fugitive, who intended to sell it to a foreigner in Beira’s Alto da Manga neighbourhood for 60,000 meticais (€856).

Tuesday, 18 April 2023
2023. Mozambique: Man arrested in possession of lions' teeth and claws.

A 38-year-old citizen is currently detained in the city of Beira, Sofala province, accused of killing and possession of prohibited species. At the time of his arrest, the suspect had four lion teeth and 14 lion claws in his possession.

Friday, 7 October 2022
Heita J 2022. Only 36 arrests for rhino poaching this year compared to 80 in 2021.

Only 36 people have been arrested for rhino-related poaching cases this year, compared to 80 last year. This was revealed by environment minister Pohamba Shifeta as the ministry received a donation of 10 vehicles, park management and law enforcement equipment worth approximately N$ 21.7 million funded by the Integrated National Park Management II (NamParks V and Covid-19 Fund) and Integrated Wildlife Protection (IWPP) projects. In contrast, 55 rhinos have been poached this year, compared to 44 in 2021. Two elephants have been poached so far this year compared to eight in 2021.

Wednesday, 17 August 2022
Heita J 2022. Suspected poaching leaves Zambezi elephant dead.

The police in the Zambezi region have urged public assistance to trace a suspected poacher for arrest. The suspect allegedly fatally shot the elephant bull on Monday, 15 August, and the community members of Batubaja Village made the discovery. It was further reported that the elephant was shot and died in Batubaja area. The incident is believed to have occurred at around 15h00 in the afternoon. No suspect has been arrested so far, and the investigation is at an advanced stage.

Tuesday, 21 June 2022
Heita J 2022. Botswana national nabbed for suspected poaching in Bwabwata.

Environment and Tourism Minister Pohamba Shifeta today revealed that a 40-year-old Botswana male, a suspected poacher, is receiving medical treatment at Rundu State hospital after being shot by Bwabwata national park staff and wildlife protection services last week Tuesday. Shifeta said at a press conference today that Park staff on regular patrol laid an ambush after discovering a giraffe’s fresh carcass in a snare wire and hanging biltong

Monday, 14 March 2022
2022. Mozambique: Over 230 poachers arrested in Zinave National Park in five years - Lusa.

Over 230 poachers were arrested, and over 300 firearms seized, between 2016 and 2021, in the Zinave National Park in Mozambique, the manager of the National Administration of Conservation Areas (ANAC) said on Monday.

Wednesday, 23 June 2021
Ngcobo N 2021. Concern over rise in poaching at PMB nature reserve.

"In the last couple of weeks, we found in certain areas a marked increase in the number of snares and a zebra was just left to rot where it had died, caught up in the snare." "We need to ask people to walk regularly and look for the snares. Quite often, they will set the snares and then they don't return in time to see if the animal has been caught in the snare and the animal is just left to rot." The Msunduzi Municipality has also raised concern about the rise in poaching at the reserve in recent weeks.

Monday, 24 August 2020
Guchu W 2020. 4 arrested for rhino poaching.

Four (4) suspects were arrested on 21 August 2020 after they illegally hunted a specially protected game (rhino). The suspects conspired and entered a private Farm to hunt rhinos, they shot and injured a female white Rhino and killed one male White Rhino. The horns were removed. The cow managed to escape with a gunshot wound. It survived.

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