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A rhinoceros cow was found poached at a game farm south of Otjiwarongo on Monday. The white rhino cow, named Maria, was found dead with a gunshot wound to her neck, game farm owner WP Barnard told The Namibian yesterday.

Barely a month into the new year, the first rhino poaching in Namibia has been reported. When photos of yet another rhino killed by poachers were posted on Facebook yesterday the news spread like wildfire and the international and Namibian community expressed outrage about the ongoing problem and urging the government to take action.

The Ministry of Environment and Tourism released a statement with regards the poaching incident on Otjiwa Game Ranch near Otjiwarongo on 23 January. According to the ministry's public relations officer Romeo Muyunda, there is no evidence that poaching ever took place. "The ministry has conducted an investigation in this case and preliminary findings indicate that there is no evidence the rhino was poached."

The two Chinese nationals who were arrested last week for possession of rhino horns worth more than N$400 000 appeared in court yesterday and their case was postponed to next month. Yonghui Lu (41) and Nan Chen (29) made their first court appearance before the Windhoek Magistrate Court yesterday. The two Chinese nationals appeared on charges of possession of and dealing in controlled wildlife products. The case was postponed to 13 February for a formal bail hearing.

Undercover police operations last week led to the arrest of two Namibians near Outapi and two Chinese nationals in Windhoek for illegal possession of two rhino horns in each case. A joint operation lasting most of last week between Namibian intelligence units, the Namibian Police Protected Resource Unit (PRU) and City Police led to the raid on Thursday night of the Eros flat rented by the two Chinese, during which two rhino
horns wrapped in aluminium foil as well as a cache of weapons and ammunition were confiscated and the two men arrested.

Another two Chinese nationals caught in possession of rhino horns last Thursday will appear in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court today.

Two Chinese men were arrested after they were found in possession of rhino horns in Windhoek this morning. Police chief Sebastian Ndeitunga told Nampa that the investigation is still at an infant stage and could not divulge more information regarding the matter.

The Chinese national, who smuggled 18 rhino horns through the Hosea Kutako International Airport and was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, has pleaded guilty to all charges against him. Ye Zhiwei, 28, appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrate's Court in South Africa this week for dealing in rhino horn under the Endangered Species Act and will appear on 10 February again for sentencing.

The Ministry of Environment and Tourism and the police have expressed doubts that a rhinoceros cow found dead at a game farm in the Otjiwarongo area on Monday was poached as initially thought.

While the poaching spotlight is intensely focused on rhino in Namibia, official poaching statistics released by the environment ministry this week show that rhino poaching declined in 2016 while elephant poaching doubled compared to 2015. In total, 216 black and white rhinos have been killed over the past four years, while 266 elephants have been killed by poachers since 2013. According to official figures released by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism this week, poachers killed 63 black and white rhinos in 2016, compared to 91 killed during the previous year and…

The case of three men accused of brutally killing two white rhinos and wounding two others on a farm near Gobabis in December has been postponed to 31 March. Gerson Uakaerera Kandjii (51), a former Brave Warriors football team medic, and his two co-accused, Domingo Justice Moma (32) and Erwin Tjiteere (37), appeared before the Gobabis Magistrate’s Court yesterday after a prison transfer from Windhoek last week.

Former national football team chiropractor accused of rhino poaching, Gerson Uakaerera Kandjii was denied bail in the Gobabis Magistrate's Court yesterday.

He was tending to his employer's cattle and not poaching, the suspected poacher shot and wounded by police on Wednesday at a farm in the Outjo district said yesterday.

A suspected poacher was shot and wounded by police yesterday at Farm Harrisy near Etosha National Park, bringing the number of those injured to two since December last year. Three others were shot dead at Bwabwata National Park last week following the invocation of the Criminal Procedure Act where police are instructed to shoot poachers in self-defence.

Four of the five suspects in a rhino-poaching case at Gobabis in December have been arrested. Former Brave Warriors football team medic Gerson Uakaera Kandjii – previously accused of rhino poaching and murder - is again behind bars after he and three other suspects were arrested for the killing of two white rhinos in the Omaheke Region in late December.

Former Brave Warriors football team medic Gerson Kandjii and two other men arrested over the killing of two rhinoceroses at a farm in the Gobabis district shortly before Christmas are due to make a first appearance in the Gobabis Magistrate's Court early next week.

The names of two alleged poachers who died in a skirmish between them and police and Anti-Poaching Unit (APU) members within the Bwabwata National Park on Wednesday, were disclosed by the deputy inspector-general.

It will be an exaggeration to say that Namibia has turned the tide against wildlife poaching. The situation on the ground clearly suggests that there is no end in sight, and that the country is experiencing a catastrophic rhino and elephant poaching crisis. These illegal killings appear to be part of an international criminal syndicate, with rustlers quick to recruit willing poachers, with the ultimate aim of exporting our precious ivory and rhino horn to Eastern Asian markets.

Four rhinos, including a prized bull, were shot on private land near Gobabis, however, the poachers only got away with the horns of two.

Local environmentalists warn Chinese nationals. About 40 environmental organisations have issued a stern warning to Chinese nationals involved in criminal activities in the country.

A shootout in Bwabwata National Park has left one poacher dead with three that got away and the public is warned they are armed and dangerous. A poacher was on Monday fatally shot during crossfire between an anti-poaching unit and a group of poachers in the Bwabwata National Park.

Police Chief Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga says poaching activities in the country should not be downplayed as it is costing the country millions per day. Ndeitunga was addressing the Chinese business community in Windhoek on Thursday following the recent arrests of several Chinese nationals carrying various illegal wildlife products.

The poaching of rhinos and elephants in Namibia is not a crisis because only about 1,2% are poached per year, said environment minister Pohamba Shifeta.

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.

Four men appeared in the Opuwo Magistrate's Court in connection with the wounded rhino found in the Etosha National Park last week. The wounded rhino was discovered last Tuesday. The case of Daniel Shilongo, Amupoko Risto Ekandjo, Petrus Ukongo and Epafras Kasita Eliakim was postponed to today for further investigation.

Namibians should unite against organised and serious environmental crimes such as poaching which involve foreign nationals cooperating with locals for the illicit operations to be successful, police Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga said at the Force's Christmas carols' event for the Kavango East region on Friday.

Six people found carrying rifles in the Etosha National Park last week were arrested after a wounded rhino was found in the area.

Elephant and rhino poached, poachers arrested. In what marks a bloody few days for Namibia's wildlife, authorities have scored some major successes with busts and arrests.

The recent arrest of a police officer who allowed a Chinese man to pass through our airport security system with a suitcase of rhino horns once again brings to the fore the mischief and illicit dealings between poachers and law enforcement agents.

Two Chinese nationals who were caught at the roadblock to the Hosea Kutako International Airport with pieces of elephant tusk will appear in court today. The two were arrested at the Kapps Farm roadblock on Wednesday afternoon when alert police officials searched their vehicle. According to the spokesperson of the Namibian police, Deputy Commissioner Edwin Kanguatjivi the two men were arrested between 12:00 and 14:00 at the roadblock.

Suspected rhino and elephant poachers have gone missing in Etosha National Park after an alleged shootout with the anti-poaching unit of the Namibian police.

A sergeant in the Namibian police has been arrested in connection with a case in which a Chinese national was arrested with 18 rhino horns at the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg last week. Sergeant Pendapala Abraham Iitula,42, who worked at Hosea Kutako International Airport, appeared before the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court in Katutura yesterday on a charge of defeating and obstructing the course of justice.

The arrest of a Chinese citizen who allegedly managed to smuggle 18 rhinoceros horns out of Namibia last week landed a member of the Namibian Police in the dock in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court in Katutura yesterday.

Namibia is a country hit by devastating poaching there is certainly no doubt about that. Activists and the Ministry of Environment and Tourism have particularly turned the tide against this surge for rhino horns and elephant ivory and while it has led to a number of arrests, there is still no end in sight to this disturbing phenomenon.

Police inspector general Sebastian Ndeitunga yesterday said he will take stiff measures on officers who were on duty at Hosea Kutako International Airport when the Chinese national smuggled 18 rhino horns out of Namibia.

Full-scale investigations have been launched into activities at the Hosea Kutako International Airport after it was determined that the 18 rhino horns that a Chinese national was found in possession of in Johannesburg, were detected by scanners at Hosea Kutako International Airport. However, even though the scanners detected the rhino horns in the luggage of Ye ZhiWe, 28, who was in transit from Windhoek to Hong Kong, he was still allowed to board a South African Airways flight bound for Johannesburg.

A Chinese national in transit from Windhoek to Hong Kong was arrested with 18 rhino horns at the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on Wednesday afternoon. Namibian Police spokesperson Edwin Kanguatjivi yesterday confirmed that the 28-year-old Chinese man was arrested in South Africa after he departed from Hosea Kutako International Airport on Wednesday morning at 06:40.

A Chinese man was arrested on Wednesday in South Africa when he was found with 18 rhino horns worth R6,6 million which are suspected to have been smuggled from Namibia.

South African police Thursday said they had arrested a Hong Kong-bound Chinese man found with 18 rhino horns hidden in his luggage.

A Chinese national who departed Hosea Kutako International Airport bound for Johannesburg this morning at 06:40, was bust with 18 rhino horns in his luggage at Oliver Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. He was bound for Hong Kong. At this stage, it is not known whether the horns originate from Namibia although experts say it is highly likely as he departed from Windhoek. The horns were in a sealed and wrapped suitcase. He is in custody in Johannesburg and investigations continue.

Although pangolins are already protected in Namibia, the Cites decision will raise awareness of this critically
endangered animal.

The Minister of Environment and Tourism has applauded the Namibian courts for sending to jail four Chinese nationals arrested in 2014 for rhino horn smuggling.

Four Chinese citizens sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment each in connection with an attempt to smuggle rhinoceros horns and a leopard skin out of Namibia in March 2014, will appeal against their conviction and sentences.

Magistrate doubles up on State's request in rhino case. Li Xiaoliang, Li Zhibing and Pu Xuexin were each sentencef to 14 years imprisonment of which 30 months were suspended for 5 years. The so- called kingpin Wang Hui, also got 14 years of which 28 months was suspended for 5 years. The suspensions came with conditions.

Four Chinese citizens convicted of having tried to smuggle 14 rhinoceros horns and a leopard skin out of Namibia in March 2014 were sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment each at the end of their trial today.

The State has asked that the four Chinese men found guilty of trying to smuggle 14 rhino horns and a leopard skin from Namibia should be sentenced to six years in prison.

Namibia could lose its entire rhinoceros population in the next 10 years if the rate at which poachers have been killing these endangered animals in recent years continues unchecked. Poachers have killed 201 rhinos in Namibia since 2011, and their crimes have not only had an environmental impact, but also an economic one.

The poaching case of former Brave Warriors team medic Gerson Kandjii and five other accused on Friday was postponed to 27 February 2017 for plea and trial in the Okahao Magistrate's Court.

Two of the five men arrested in Opuwo last year for being found in possession of rhino horns were on Friday sentenced to 11 years and six months’ imprisonment in the Opuwo Magistrate's Court.

The discovery of a hoard of rhino horns and a leopard skin in two suitcases at Hosea Kutako International Airport in March 2014 led to the conviction of four Chinese citizens on two criminal charges in the Windhoek Regional Court on Friday.