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.
Two rhino poachers have been sentenced to an effective 19 years' imprisonment for a 2019 poaching incident in the Kruger National Park. The Regional Court in Skukuza in Mpumalanga sentenced Micheal Chauke, 57, and Americo Mathonsi, 59, on Thursday. The men were found to have killed two rhinos on 22 May 2019, said police spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdhluli.
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SA_2022_02_Poachers handed effective 19_year sentence for killing two rhinos_News24.pdf | 664.84 KB |
Poaching syndicates have killed at least two rhinoceros this month and are suspected of moving around the country targeting the animals and cutting off their horns. The rhino is targeted for its horn in the underground, illegal wildlife markets, particularly in Asia, where dubious cultural beliefs drive demand. In the latest killing, police in Bikita discovered on Sunday a carcass of a white rhino buried in a pit in a bushy area with some body parts missing
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ZIM_2022_02_Police tail poaching syndicates_The Herald.pdf | 667.4 KB |
There has been a great improvement in the handling of wildlife crimes in the country's courts of law following an accelerated mentorship drive for prosecutors and magistrates on the subject, a wildlife rights proponent has said.
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ZIM_2022_02_Zimbabwe records progress against wildlife crimes_The Herald.pdf | 595.7 KB |
A nurse aide at Siyakobvu Hospital in Kariba was today fined $20 000 for possessing a leopard skin worth $2 308 400, which he was selling in Harare's Central Business District.
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ZIM_2022_02_Nurse aide fined for possession of leopard skin_The Herald.pdf | 304.27 KB |
A South African immigrant and a local man found in possession of four pieces of rhino horns worth US$240 000 without a licence have been acquitted after the High Court found that the prosecution failed to prove its case against them.
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ZIM_2022_02_Two acquitted after being nabbed with rhino horns pieces_The Herald.pdf | 443.79 KB |
A nurse aide at Siyakobvu Hospital in Kariba appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court on allegations of possessing a leopard skin worth $2 308 400, which he was selling in Harare's Central Business District.
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ZIM_2022_02_Nurse aide nabbed with leopard skin_The Herald.pdf | 455.25 KB |
Three youths had a running battle with three policemen who attempted to arrest them for poaching, Bulawayo Regional Court was told yesterday.
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ZIM_2022_01_Poachers in gun battle with police at farm_The Herald.pdf | 553.58 KB |
Police in Chiredzi have arrested four suspected poachers and recovered five impala carcasses worth over
US$5 000 as they intensify their crackdown on poachers countrywide.
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ZIM_2022_01_4 more arrested in crackdown on poaching_The Herald.pdf | 417.03 KB |
Police in Mashonaland East Province have arrested three suspects for poaching in Eldorado farm in Macheke.
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ZIM_2022_01_Treetop Security official arrested for poaching_The Herald.pdf | 304.98 KB |
A police sting operation has led to the arrest of two Gauteng men who allegedly tried to sell a lion's head in the North West. The men were arrested after a police agent intercepted their plan. They were allegedly looking for a traditional healer to buy the animal's head for R350 000.
Poachers have turned to snare trapping to capture animals in the Kruger National Park, including some endangered species, and use poisoned carcases to lure them. Many of the trapped animals die and their carcasses rot. Rangers and other officials have been combing through the 19 485 km² Kruger National Park, which houses the country's Big Five, in search of injured and trapped animals. Poachers have targeted almost all sections of the park. Wild dogs, lions and small antelopes are some of the animals that have been trapped.
A wildlife nature reserve covering Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Angola will undertake a loose elephant census next year at the cost of $3 million. The aerial survey by the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA) directorate will help in managing elephants that freely roam across member states. "The elephant population of KAZA represents more than 50% of the remaining savanna elephants (Loxodonta Africana) found in Africa, a species recently listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as globally endangered.
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SA_2021_11_Census to shed light on elephant population in southern Africa_News24.pdf | 327.21 KB |
Two men appeared in court today on allegations of illegally possessing elephant tusks worth US$2 497 they intended to trade in Harare's city centre. Nkululeko Chuma (40) and Tawenga Dandambira (40) appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Tafadzwa Miti charged with unlawful possession of unmarked raw ivory.
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ZIM_2021_11_Duo in court over ivory_The Herald.pdf | 348.65 KB |
The 11-count indictment alleges that Lokua and Mujangi worked with a middleman to smuggle four packages into the United States. In August and September, 2020, the defendants sent three shipments containing a total of about 49 pounds of ivory by air freight to Seattle. In May 2021, they sent another package with approximately five pounds of rhinoceros horn. At the same time, the defendants conspired to conduct large transactions via ocean freight, offering the buyer more than two tons of elephant ivory, one ton of pangolin scales, and multiple intact rhinoceros horns. On Nov.
Five men have been arrested in the Western Cape in connection with the illegal possession of more than 5 600 succulents. The arrests were the result of an integrated operation between the police, Malmesbury Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit and Cape Nature, said police spokesperson Sergeant Luqmaan Adams on Thursday. "The suspects were arrested after they were stopped and searched on the N7 close to Vanrhynsdorp.
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SA_2021_10_Five arrested for allegedly poaching Western Cape succulents_News24.pdf | 269.77 KB |
Three men accused of rhino poaching have each been sentenced to an effective 35 years in jail. They were found in possession of rhino horn valued at R1.5 million. The accused were found to have killed three female rhinos in 2018.
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SA_2021_10_Three poachers get an effective 35 years behind bars for killing 3 female rhinos_News24.pdf | 431.48 KB |
Four suspected rhino poachers were arrested over the weekend (15-18 October) in the Kruger National Park, thanks to the brave efforts of members of the Rangers Corp, assisted by the K9 Unit and the Aviators of the Airwing. The arrests - as well as one fatality - took place in the Stolznek section of the Park, South African National Parks (SANParks) said in an announcement today.
Two men have been arrested in Bulawayo after they were found in possession of 18,25kg of ivory worth thousands of dollars.
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ZIM_2021_10_Two nabbed for illegally possessing ivory_The Herald.pdf | 439.62 KB |
As we celebrate World Rhino Day today - 22 September - we recognise the pioneering technological innovations that are proving to be highly effective in protecting Africa’s threatened rhino populations from poachers.
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SA_2021_09_Postcode Meerkat_A Guardian of South Africas Rhinos_SAPeople.pdf | 853.97 KB |
Klerksdorp, South Africa (Reuters) - South Africa's largest private rhino breeder - John Hume - says he has kept the rhino on his farm safe from poachers for four and a half years but cannot continue if he is not allowed to sell their horns.
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SA_2021_09_South African Rhino Breeder Begs Let Me Sell My Rhinos Horns to Save Them_SAPeople.pdf | 768.98 KB |
Three rhino poachers were yesterday sentenced to 105 years in prison by the Skukuza Regional Court, for rhino poaching and related offences. The South African National Parks (SANParks) today, 3 September, welcomed the sentencing.
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SA_2021_09_Rhino Poachers Sentenced to 105 Years in Prison_SAPeople.pdf | 533.3 KB |
Free State police are on the hunt for poachers who killed and dehorned two white rhinos and injured a third at a farm in Steynsrus. Police spokesperson Brigadier Motantsi Makhele said a case of rhino poaching was registered in terms of Section 57 of the Bioversity Act 10 of 2004 "after two rhino bulls were killed and one injured in Geduldfontein Farm". "The value of the two killed rhino bulls is R800 000," Makhele added.
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SA_2021_08_Poachers kill and dehorn two white rhinos on Free State farm_injure a third_News24.pdf | 320.73 KB |
Minister of Environment Barbara Creecy today released the latest rhino poaching statistics for South Africa, whilst also paying tribute to SANParks' rangers, including those rangers who tragically died over the past year. Minister of Environment Barbara Creecy today released the latest rhino poaching statistics for South Africa, whilst also paying tribute to SANParks’ rangers, including those rangers who tragically died over the past year.
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SA_2021_07_Rhino Poaching Update as SA Pays Tribute to Brave and Fallen Rangers_SA People.pdf | 1.07 MB |
Four men were each jailed for nine years after they were convicted of illegally possessing raw ivory which they intended to trade in Harare sometime last year.
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ZIM_2021_07_Ivory deal earns quartet lengthy jail terms_The Herald.pdf | 346.97 KB |
With lockdown restrictions eased since last year, the rhino poaching war has certainly heated up in South Africa. The last seven days have been hectic - a suspected rhino poaching kingpin gunned down just before appearing in court, three suspected poachers arrested in separate incidents (with tourists helping report them), and at least 21 poaching related incidents taking place in the Kruger National Park (KNP) - as well as one successful conviction.
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SA_2021_06_Rhino Poaching_25 Incidents_3 Arrests_1 Sentence_ Kingpin Killed in 1 Week_SA People.pdf | 504.51 KB |
Two Mbire men have appeared at the Guruve Magistrates Court after being arrested in possession of 34kg of ivory and looking for a buyer.
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ZIM_2021_06_Guruve duo nabbed for ivory possession_The Herald.pdf | 374.16 KB |
SANParks announced today (5 June 2021) that well executed operations at the end of May led to the arrest of four suspected poachers. The first incident was last weekend, on Sunday 30 May in the Pretoriuskop Section, and the other on Monday in the Houtboschrand Section, both located in the South of the Kruger National Park (KNP). SANParks said that rangers (with K9 support) responded last Sunday to a visual of two suspected rhino poachers and went in pursuit of them.
A 35-year-old Zimbabwean and a Chinese man (28) who were recently arrested by South Africa's organised crime unit, the Hawks for illegal possession of dried Abalone worth nearly R10 million are set to make a formal bail application tomorrow at the Atlantis Magistrates' Court, in Western Cape province . Lawrence Muroma and Qing Quan Feng were found in possession of 70 boxes dried abalone on May 16.
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ZIM_2021_06_R10m Abalone deal_Bail application date set_The Herald.pdf | 367.74 KB |
Two Harare man have appeared in court after they were caught in possession of 22,88 kilogrammes of ivory worth $326 726 without a licence.
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ZIM_2021_05_Pair in court for possessing ivory_The Herald.pdf | 478.4 KB |
A clerk at St George's College in Harare appeared in court after he was arrested in the capital’s suburb of Budiriro, while attempting to trade raw ivory worth US$2 099.
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ZIM_2021_03_St Georges College clerk caught with ivory_The Herald.pdf | 287.27 KB |
Two men allegedly desperately trying to find a buyer for a rhino horn appeared in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate's Court on Monday. Jeremy Perring, 36, and Keanon Tereblanche, 27, were arrested at a beachfront restaurant in possession of a rhino horn on Friday. The two were each released on R3 000 bail and the case has been postponed to 29 April.
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SA_2021_02_Two in court for allegedly trying to sell a rhino horn_News 24.pdf | 478.83 KB |
Zimbabwe needs to establish an independent and specialised environmental court to effectively deal with the environmental litigation cases and offer better quality of sentencing to safeguard and restore the country's environment, WWF - Zimbabwe country director, Dr Enos Shumba says.
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ZIM_2021-02_Just in_Call to establish environmental court _The Herald.pdf | 361.12 KB |
A retired police officer, a former scout and a Zambian national have been jailed for nine years for killing a black rhinoceros in Bubye Valley Conservancy near Beitbridge last year.
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ZIM_2020-05_Ex-cop jailed for killing rhino_The Herald.pdf | 337.54 KB |
A 23-year-old man has been arrested by the Hawks in Hartbeesfontein, near Klerksdorp in South Africa, in possession of lion skins, that could have come from the lion-breeding industry, and various drugs.
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SA_2020-05_Suspect in Klerksdorp Arrested For Possession of Lion Skins_SA People.pdf | 188.72 KB |
AT least 59 people have been arrested for poaching by the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (ZIMPARKS) as from January this year to date.
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ZIM_2020-03_JUST IN_ 59 poachers arrested_The Herald.pdf | 430.91 KB |
About 100,000 children in and around the national parks of Gonarezhou in Zimbabwe and Limpopo in Mozambique are being educated through the Peace and Changemaker Generation project to appreciate wildlife conservation efforts and to take a stand against wildlife crime. The project also promotes girls’ rights in their communities as part of wider efforts to strengthen the two countries’ efforts to combat wildlife trafficking.
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ZIM_2020-02_elephants Zimbabwe Mozambique_Journal of African Elephants.pdf | 1.04 MB |
At least 82 people were arrested last year alone and police recovered 17 pangolins and over 1 000 kilogrammes of pangolin scales, as the Zimbabwe Republic Police declares war on wildlife crimes countrywide.
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ZIM_2020-02_82 arrested for pangolin poaching_The Herald.pdf | 510.67 KB |