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.
Explore your search results using the filter checkboxes, or amend your search or start a new search.
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.
Two men are expected to appear in the Vryheid magistrate's court after they were arrested with two rhino horns and a rie hidden in their car's engine compartment. KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Lt-Col Nqobile Gwala said ofcers acted on information about the suspects and spotted their vehicle on the R34 travelling towards Vryheid and a high-speed chase ensued.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2024_19_Police arrest two men with rhino horns after high_speed car chase_Timeslive.pdf | 414.61 KB |
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.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2023_12_Man found with rifle in Kruger National Park gets six_year jail term_Herald Live.pdf | 148.94 KB |
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.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2023_11_Man_28_ found with perlemoen worth R3m_Herald Live.pdf | 187.89 KB |
A high-speed chase forced three suspects to abandon their vehicle, rhino horn, communications tower battery, silencer, firearm and ammunition while evading arrest. They were intercepted by Volksrust, Mpumalanga, police conducting a stop and search operation at 10pm in Mandela Drive on Monday, police said.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2023_10_Rhino horn traffickers foiled_TimesLive.pdf | 233.67 KB |
The Limpopo endangered species unit arrested three suspects after were allegedly found in possession of a pangolin in Bochum n Sunday. They were charged with wildlife trafficking and contravening the National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act, Members of the unit, acting on a tip-off arrested the three suspects who were trying to sell the pangolin.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2023_09_Three arrested after allegedly trying to sell a pangolin in Bochum_TimesLive.pdf | 153.46 KB |
Two former government officials have been sentenced for corruption and money laundering linked to the abalone trade, the Hawks confirmed on Saturday. The officials, Winston Mervin Busch and Nomvuyo Concellia Motloung, were among a group of 18 suspects arrested in a 2018 swoop on an abalone syndicate operating in the Western Cape. The group comprised several marine inspectors from the department of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, as well as several members of an abalone poaching syndicate, the Hawks said. Twelve of the group have now been sentenced.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2023_09_Two government officials sentenced in landmark abalone case_Times Live.pdf | 393.11 KB |
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.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2023_08_Elephant tusk_meat carcasses_guns and blue lights seized in Alex bust_Herald Live.pdf | 259.5 KB |
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.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2023_08_Perlemoen suspect arrested after evading arrest for two years_Herald Live.pdf | 270.23 KB |
Cape Town police arrested a 43-year-old man for operating an illegal abalone processing facility at a house in Constantia. They seized abalone worth about R2m.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2023_07_Illegal abalone processing facility uncovered in upmarket Constantia_TimesLive.pdf | 510.09 KB |
A poacher from Mozambique has been convicted and sentenced to 22 years in prison for killing two rhinos in the Kruger National Park.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2023_07_Poacher sentenced to 22 years in prison for killing two rhinos_TimesLive.pdf | 223.52 KB |
Satellite-tagged vultures uncover two suspected poisoning incidents near Kafue National Park. Conservation groups alongside Africa Parks and Zambia's Department of National Parks and Wildlife have been using a myriad of tools to protect Kafue's wildlife, including deploying some 40 anti-poaching patrol teams. One of the more innovative approaches is tagging white-backed and hooded vultures with satellite trackers to quickly alert wildlife managers of poached or poisoned carcasses.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
ZAM_2023_06_Vulture surveillance system alerts Zambian park to poachers_TimesLive.pdf | 242 KB |
A 51-year-old man is expected to appear in a Free State court after he was found with abalone shells worth more than R300,000. The man was arrested in Bayswater in Mangaung on Thursday afternoon after intelligence-led information led police to his home, Free State police spokesperson Lt-Col Thabo Covane said. "A team made up of tactical response team members and detectives arrived at the targeted unit in the identified complex at about 12.45pm." Members tactically gained access to the unit and found the male hiding inside the bedroom.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2023_05_Man arrested in Free State with 782 abalone shells worth R300K_TimesLive.pdf | 222.56 KB |
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.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2023_05_Ten in court for possession of perlemoen_Herald Live.pdf | 290.01 KB |
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.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2023_03_Wilderness Foundation offers reward to stop Eastern Cape rhino poaching_Herald Live.pdf | 307.41 KB |
A 33-year-old man has been jailed for five years after being caught transporting rhino horns to Johannesburg on June 22 last year.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2023_02_Man jailed for five years for possession of rhino horns_TimesLive.pdf | 229.63 KB |
Eastern Cape police have arrested two suspects for possession of abalone worth R1.8m in Gqeberha.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2023_02_Two suspects bust for possession of abalone worth R1.8m in Gqeberha_TimesLive.pdf | 297.41 KB |
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.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2023_02_Schotia rhinos Bonnie and Clyde killed by poachers and dehorned_HeraldLive.pdf | 414.04 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.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
NAM_2023_01_Namibia rhino poaching surged 93 percent in 2022_Times Live.pdf | 228.55 KB |
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.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2023_01_Third time unlucky for poacher as he is sentenced to 32 years in jail_HeraldLive.pdf | 274.95 KB |
A sea, air and mountain (Seam) special operations ranger was injured by a suspected poacher who was resisting arrest at the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) in the early hours of Tuesday. About 11.30pm on Monday, the park's operations room staff received information about suspected poachers operating in the park’s marine protected area near Glencairn. "Seam operators responded and, with the assistance of the police, successfully stopped a vehicle suspected of being involved in the incident," South African National Parks said in a statement.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2023_01_Table Mountain ranger attacked as six alleged abalone poachers arrested_TimesLive.pdf | 257.11 KB |
Pongola Game Reserve East (PGRE) in KwaZulu-Natal will move about 69 elephants back onto its property to other protected areas to stem a bloody poaching war. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife said they will engage the game reserve to relocate them as soon as protected areas with adequate carrying capacity for elephants have been identified. This was an attempt to resolve the long-standing human/wildlife conflict caused by elephants from the private game reserve and has contributed to the rise in elephant poaching incidents.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2023_01_Elephants to be relocated from KZN reserve to stem poaching slaughter_TimesLive.pdf | 397.14 KB |
In August 2019, the rangers were doing their daily routine in Stolznek section using a helicopter when the accused were spotted. They were found in possession of a firearm, ammunition and hunting weapons and were arrested. In aggravation of sentence, prosecutor Lot Mgiba handed in a ballistics report which revealed the firearm that was found in his possession was meant to poach rhinos. Though Sithlangu was sentenced to 14 years for these offences, the court ordered that the terms run concurrently, resulting in an effective 11-year jail term.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2022_11_Poacher arrested in Kruger Park sentenced to 11 years_TimesLive.pdf | 245.49 KB |
Two men were arrested for the possession of stolen firearms, ivory and other property on Friday in Cape St Francis.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2022_11_Men nabbed with stolen firearms and ivory_HeraldLIVE.pdf | 248.71 KB |
Four men have appeared in court after allegedly being found in possession of two rhino horn and a rifle silencer in Sannieshof, North West, on Tuesday night.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2022_10_Four in court for possession of rhino horn and rifle silencer_TimesLive.pdf | 311.15 KB |
The public has been cautioned not to approach the seven men who escaped through an open window from a Makhanda (Grahamstown) prison during the early hours on Tuesday as they are considered to be dangerous. The department of correctional services and the police are hunting for the seven inmates, all in prison for serious offences, including rhino poaching, murder and robbery.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2022_10_Seven escape from Makhanda prison through open window_TimesLive.pdf | 518.66 KB |
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.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2022_10_Rhino poaching conspiracy ruling boosts conservation efforts_HeraldLive.pdf | 490.73 KB |
The US has imposed sanctions against a Malaysian group, accusing it of engaging in "the cruel trafficking of endangered and threatened wildlife and the products of brutal poaching". The Treasury department said on Friday it has designated Malaysian national Teo Boon Ching, the Teo Boon Ching wildlife trafficking transnational criminal organisation and Malaysian company Sunrise Greenland. Teo Boon Ching specialises in the transportation of rhino horn, ivory and pangolins from Africa. It uses routes through Malaysia and Laos to reach customers in Vietnam and China, the department…
As the world celebrates Rhino Day on Thursday, anti-poaching organisation Saving the World has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to acknowledge allegations of bribery against suspended KwaZulu-Natal regional court president Eric Nzimande. World Rhino Day seeks to create awareness of and find new ways to stop poaching, and keep the endangered species from extinction.
Law enforcement agencies globally must address rhino horn trafficking as transnational organised crime, with an increased focus on the higher-level actors in the supply chain. This was the main message that emerged from a joint webinar hosted by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) SA and the Wildlife Justice Commission to mark World Rhino Day on Thursday. Malaysian customs officials say they have seized a stash of rare animal parts worth $18 million thought to have come from Africa, including elephant tusks, rhino horns and pangolin scales.
A tourist who heard gunshots in the Kruger National Park helped rangers arrest three suspected poachers after they allegedly killed and dehorned rhinos.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2022_07_Tourist helps nab alleged rhino poachers in the Kruger National Park_TimesLive.pdf | 421.17 KB |
Owing to effective conservation methods, wildlife poaching has significantly decreased in Zimbabwe. This was a result of robust anti-poaching systems, coupled with increased patrols and the use of modern technology. Senior area manager for Mana Pools National Park Edmore Ngosi reiterated that poaching levels had gone down significantly over the past five years. "With interventions from the government and conservation partners, we are happy to say that we are on top of the situation as we have seen poaching levels decrease in the entire landscape".
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
ZIM_2022_06_Zim poaching levels go down_Dailynews.pdf | 443.48 KB |
Two suspected poachers were killed in a shoot-out with Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) rangers in Chirundu at the weekend. ZimParks spokesperson Tinashe Farawo said the poachers were killed and "freshly poached ivory" was recovered.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2022_05_Suspected elephant poachers shot dead by ZimParks rangers_TimesLive.pdf | 332.78 KB |
Three men convicted on 12 charges related to rhino poaching have been sentenced to a combined 63 years in prison.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2022_05_Court hands down combined 63_year sentence to three rhino poachers_TimesLive.pdf | 377.02 KB |
A South African woman leaving the country for Dubai was nabbed this week with 12 rhino horns in her luggage at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, according to the SA Revenue Service (Sars).
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2022_04_SA woman bound for Dubai nabbed with a dozen rhino horns at OR Tambo_TimesLive.pdf | 399.4 KB |
A game farmer has been fined R240,000 after pleading guilty to four charges relating to illegal hunting, possession and translocation of game. Ryan Wall, 48, from Durbanville, Cape Town, was sentenced in the Malmesbury regional court on Wednesday. A further fine of R930,000 was suspended for five years. CapeNature said the charges related to illegal activities in 2015 and 2016 on Wall's game farm in Doornfontein, near Darling. "In 2015, Wall was caught hunting two trophy eland bulls outside the hunting season and without permits.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2022_04_Game farmer fined R240 000 for illegal hunting and dodgy deals_TimesLive.pdf | 355.91 KB |
A 34-year-old KwaZulu-Natal man appeared in the Ubombo magistrate's court for allegedly killing a crocodile.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2022_04_KZN man in court for allegedly killing crocodile_Times Live.pdf | 336.85 KB |
Two poachers caught with a high-powered rifle and poaching equipment close to the carcasses of two rhinos have each been sentenced to 23 years in jail. The Mozambicans were arrested in the Satara section of the Kruger National Park in May 2019 by rangers.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2022_02_Mozambican rhino poachers in Kruger National Park hit with hefty jail terms_TimesLive.pdf | 371.31 KB |
DNA testing on seized ivory shipments that reveals family ties among African elephants killed for their tusks is helping to identify poaching areas and trafficking networks at the centre of an illegal trade that continues to devastate the population of earth's largest land animal.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2022_02_Elephant tusk DNA sleuthing reveals ivory trafficking networks_TimesLive.pdf | 256.82 KB |
A former KwaZulu-Natal cop has been convicted and sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment for a 2018 incident in which he was found in possession of an unlicensed firearm and rhino horns.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2022_02_Former KZN cop gets 10 years for rhino poaching_TimesLive.pdf | 632.21 KB |
"It is not uncommon for the money flows associated with illegal wildlife trade (IWT) to be linked to other crimes, such as fraudulent documentation or paperwork, trade-based money laundering including over-, under-, or fictitious invoicing, as well as corruption to facilitate the inflow of funds into SA," said the report. It emphasised that wildlife and wildlife products from SA are in high demand globally, with China and other Asian countries representing the largest markets.
An illegal abalone dealer has been declared an undesirable person in SA after his conviction on a slew of charges.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2021_08_Illegal abalone dealer jailed and declared an undesirable person_TimesLive.pdf | 334.71 KB |
Authorities have recovered lion teeth and claws from a suspected illegal wildlife trader. The Vietnamese man was arrested during raids in Bela-Bela and Pretoria after a four-month probe by analysts and wildlife investigators. The suspect was also arrested for illegal possession of a firearm.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2021_08_Lion teeth and claws seized as wildlife squad swoops on Vietnamese suspect_Times Live.pdf | 346.65 KB |
A postolic Movement Advent Mission church leader Ranganai Kande has appeared before the Harare Magistrates' Courts after he was illegally found in possession of ivory.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
ZIM_2021_08_Church leader up for illegal ivory possession_DailyNews.pdf | 335.11 KB |
Two men have been arrested in Jansenville with 39 black bags of perlemoen worth about R432,000 and an illegal firearm in their possession.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2021_08_Two suspects caught with 39 black bags of perlemoen_Heraldlive.pdf | 159.2 KB |
Two suspected rhino poachers were arrested on a farm in Vierfontein in the Free State on Thursday, provincial police said.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2021_08_Suspected rhino poachers arrested in the Free State_TimesLive.pdf | 441.7 KB |
They were bust with about R500,000 worth of rhino horn. The regional court in Gqeberha sentenced Jonathan Jeremy Perring, 37, Keanon Terblanche, 28, and Christo Shaun Swartz, 30, on Thursday.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2021_07_Trio slapped with three_year jail sentences for rhino horn theft_Times Lives.pdf | 478.8 KB |
A Bulawayo man, who was arrested together with two other men for illegally dealing in ivory, has shifted the blame to his co-accused, claiming the tusks belonged to the duo.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
NAM_2021_07_Ivory suspect shifts blame to co_accused_DailyNews.pdf | 314.34 KB |
SA National Parks (SANParks) on Friday welcomed the 23-year prison sentence handed to a rhino poacher by the Skukuza regional court prosecuting team. Alsony Alberto Valoyi, an illegal immigrant from Mozambique, pleaded guilty to six charges related to rhino poaching after being arrested inside the Kruger National Park (KNP) in November 2016.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2021_06_Kruger National Park rhino poacher gets 23_year sentence_Times Live.pdf | 378.91 KB |
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.
Attachment | Size |
---|---|
SA_2021_06_Six arrested and perlemoen worth R1.4m seized_HeraldLive.pdf | 441.12 KB |