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.
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Traditional leaders in Kariba district have condemned wildlife poaching in the area, adding that the crime was detrimental to the development of tourism in the district. Kariba's tourism is anchored on wildlife, hence the need for conservation, but despite a significant drop in elephant poaching, the practice was rampant among other smaller animals.
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ZIM_2023_11_Traditional leaders condemn poaching_NewsDay.pdf | 200.18 KB |
Cameroon ranked seventh out of 29 African nations in terms of being a source or transit point for illegal wildlife trafficking (IWT) during the decade spanning from 2009 to 2019, according to a new report. This is despite the measures taken by the law enforcement to curb the menace as increased involvement from the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife (MINFOF), CITES authorities and various other stakeholders, according to the report titled Analysis of Wildlife Court Cases in Cameroon: Jan 2010-Dec 2022. The most frequently…
Botswana's wildlife authorities say four rhinoceroses were shot, and two of them died, in a heavily guarded sanctuary, although their horns were not removed. The shootings at the sanctuary in central Botswana came after the government de-horned and relocated most of the rhinos further inland to discourage poachers.
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BOT_2023_04_Botswana on alert after shooting of rhinos in sanctuary_VOA News.pdf | 272.64 KB |
Botswana revealed on Monday that it suffered a huge spike in rhino poaching during five years through 2022, translating to about a third of its population of the endangered species. In all, 138 rhinos were slaughtered from 2018 to last year, Tourism minister Philda Kereng told parliament. This compares to two rhinos poached in the preceding five years from 2012 to 2017, according to official figures. Statistics that Kereng presented to parliament showed killings suddenly rose to seven in 2018, before spiking to 30 the following year.
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BOT_2023_02_Botswana loses third of rhinos to poaching in 5 Years_VOA.pdf | 232.13 KB |
A 34-year-old Harare man has appeared before magistrate Dennis Mangosi charged with illegal possession of ivory. Author Edwin Kowe of Stone Ridge, was arrested on February 19, 2023 after being trapped by detectives from the Police Minerals Flora and Fauna Section who posed as potential buyers. One of the detectives pretended to be an ivory buyer, while the other team carried out surveillance as backup. The detective who was acting as the buyer phoned the accused person and lured him to Waterworks along Chiremba Road.
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ZIM_2023_02_Ivory dealer nabbed in police trap_NewsDay.pdf | 183.96 KB |
Botswana revealed on Monday that it suffered a huge spike in rhino poaching during five years through 2022, translating to about a third of its population of the endangered species. In all, 138 rhinos were slaughtered from 2018 to last year, Tourism minister Philda Kereng told parliament. This compares to two rhinos poached in the preceding five years from 2012 to 2017, according to official figures. Statistics that Kereng presented to parliament showed killings suddenly rose to seven in 2018, before spiking to 30 the following year.
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BOT_2023_02_Botswana loses third of rhinos to poaching in 5 years_VOA.pdf | 232.13 KB |
Namibian authorities say poachers killed 87 rhinos last year, almost double the number killed in 2021 in a country that is home to the world's largest free roaming black rhino population. Conservationists say poachers seeking rhino horns for Asian markets are targeting Namibia's commercial farms. Simson Uri-Khob, chief executive officer of the Save the Rhino Trust, told VOA there have been almost no incidents of rhino poaching in Namibia's rhino conservancies for the past 30 months.
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NAM_2023_01_Namibian authorities concerned about increase in rhino poaching_VOA News.pdf | 226.38 KB |
Court, to two Mozambican nationals convicted for rhino poaching in the Kruger National Park (KNP), after they had killed a rhino and were found in possession of its fresh horns four months ago. Lucky Shihlangu (33) and Sergio Mathebula (32) were found guilty, and sentenced to a total of 22 years but will serve 18 years effectively. They faced six charges related to the case and were found guilty on all six charges.
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SA_2023_01_Poachers from Mozambique Handed 22 Year Jail Sentences_SAPeople.pdf | 301.98 KB |
A Chinese national Wang Yang and his three local accomplices including a police officer stationed in Harare appeared in court on Wednesday charged with illegal possession of rhino horns worth US$600 000.
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ZIM_2023_01_Chinese national 3 accomplices in court over rhino horns_NewsDay.pdf | 346.34 KB |
The Pongola Lake in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa, has erupted into an elephant poaching 'slaughterhouse', says the DA, as it calls again for national intervention. "Armed groups of poachers have now completely laid siege to the eastern shores of the lake, with several elephant carcasses recently found while dozens of gunshots have also been reported in the region. “Guards near the eSwatini border have allegedly also come under attack and infrastructure damaged and torched by the armed gang."
South African National Parks (SANParks) today welcomed the heavy sentencing of a rhino poacher by the Skukuza Regional Court, to a total of 52 years in prison for rhino poaching and related offences.
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SA_2022_11_Rhino Poacher Sentenced to 52 Years in Prison_SAPeople.pdf | 302.85 KB |
Botswana said it's seen a dramatic drop in rhinoceros poaching this year after taking greater steps to protect its shrinking rhino population. The significant decline was revealed in a report presented this week at a conference on CITES - the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. After losing 126 animals between 2018 and 2021, only six rhinoceroses have been poached in Botswana in 2022.
The report says poaching incidents peaked in 2020 when the country lost 62 rhinos. The following year, at least 33 were reported killed by poachers.
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BOT_2022_11_Rhino Poaching Way Down in Botswana_VOA Zimbabwe.pdf | 48.36 KB |
CapeNature is taking proactive steps to ensure the Western Cape's precious biodiversity is protected, following the shocking escalation in succulent and other plant poaching, which has seen hundreds of thousands of plants being stolen from South Africa. The poaching has increased hugely since 2018, with most of these plants being destined for the Asian market.
Two Mutoko men have been jailed nine years each for illegal possession of a pangolin.
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ZIM_2022_09_2 Mutoko men jailed over pangolin_NewsDay.pdf | 329.92 KB |
Three men travelling through Kadoma will rue the day they caged a pangolin after they were caught in possession of the mammal on Saturday.
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ZIM_2022_05_Three men arrested for pangolin poaching_NewsDay.pdf | 431.99 KB |
Nairobi, Kenya - One of two Kenyans wanted for alleged involvement in wildlife and drug trafficking has been arrested in a joint U.S.-Kenyan operation. The U.S. government had announced a reward for information leading to the arrest of Badru Abdul Aziz Saleh. Saleh and Ahmed were accused in the transportation, distribution and smuggling of 190 kilograms of rhinoceros horns and 10 tons of elephant ivory from different African countries.
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KEN_2022_05_Kenyan Fugitive Wanted for Wildlife_Drug Trafficking Arrested_VOA.pdf | 58.77 KB |
Commissioned six years ago and kept under lock and key by the Office of the KZN Premier until now, the hidden report into rhino poaching in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) has been partially released to the Democratic Alliance (DA) following extensive pressure. At last count, rhino poaching figures this year so far (just over four months) have surpassed the total for 2021, with 108 rhino killed by poachers for their horns which are smuggled to countries like China and Vietnam.
On April 1 the number of rhinos poached in Hluhluwe-uMfolozi Park, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), since the 1st of January was 60. It's just one month later, and that already horrific number has shockingly jumped to 94 (actually 95, as of yesterday). Imagine how many rhinos will now not be born because of those that have been killed in Hluhluwe-uMfolozi just this year! Every rhino counts.
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SA_2022_05_95 Rhinos Poached in Hluhluwe_uMfolozi Park So Far in 2022_SAPeople.pdf | 480.95 KB |
At least 71 rhino have been poached this year alone in Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife parks, putting KZN on the road to the species facing extinction in the region within the next five years!
South African National Parks (SANParks) today, 19 March 2022, welcomed the sentence meted out by the Skukuza Regional Court to a man convicted on 12 counts associated with poaching. The accused, Mike Nyathi, a 39 year old Mozambican man with a South African citizenship, faced 14 charges relating to two separate cases of rhino poaching.
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SA_2022_03_Rhino Poacher in Kruger Park Handed 53 Years Jail Sentence_SAPeople.pdf | 401.03 KB |
The Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (Zela) has called on key stakeholders, including the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), to collaborate in combating illegal trade and smuggling of wildlife products. The call coincided with the World Wildlife Day commemorations held yesterday. Wildlife trafficking in Africa is mainly rife in politically unstable countries and where there is widespread breakdown of law and order.
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ZIM_2022_03_Need for collaborative efforts in combating illicit wildlife trade_Activists_NewsDay.pdf | 529.42 KB |
A single transnational criminal network may be poaching elephants across southern and eastern Africa, a new study has claimed. The criminals may be trying to shift base to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from east Africa, warned the report published February 14, 2022, in the journal Nature Human Behaviour. Such criminal networks may be seeking to use porous borders of the DRC as well as the weak rule of law there to their advantage, the study said.
Zimbabwe has partnered four other states in the Kavango Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA) in an agreement which will see them joining forces to combat wildlife crime. The four states that will work with Zimbabwe to defend their borders against wildlife threats are Angola, Botswana, Namibia and Zambia.
The courts never cease to disappoint. Two years ago, the Supreme Court delivered a retrogressive judgment on pangolin conservation. A few days ago, the High Court delivered a bombshell on a rhino-related case. The court acquitted a man who was found in possession of four rhino horns in Harare.
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ZIM_2022_02_A sad day for rhino conservation in Zim_NewsDay.pdf | 310.39 KB |
Two Bulawayo men have been slapped with a nine-year jail term each for illegal possession of pangolin skins.
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ZIM_2022_01_Pangolin skins land pair in jail_Newsday.pdf | 351.88 KB |
Cameroon has deployed its military forces to help rangers crack down on poachers on its eastern border with the Central African Republic. Cameroon wildlife officials say poaching is again increasing after pandemic restrictions saw a drop in the number of animals being killed. Officials say in the last week alone, poachers have killed at least eight elephants along the border. Cameroon's Forestry and Wildlife ministry says several dozen armed poachers are attacking elephants along the CAR border.
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CAM_2021_12_Cameroon deploys military to assist rangers as poaching increases_VOA News.pdf | 30.21 KB |
Botswana wildlife authorities have refuted reports the country's rhinoceros population is on the verge of extinction due to poaching. The southern African country has battled a rise in poaching, with more than 60 animals killed in the last two years.
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BOT_2021_10_Botswana allays concerns over rhino poaching crisis_VOA News.pdf | 360.29 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.
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 |
A Harare man who, resides at the Presidential Guard Brigade, appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court charged with unlawful possession of a live pangolin.
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SA_2021_08_Man in court for possession of pangolin_News day.pdf | 210.44 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 |
A plot by a jealous Guruve man to get his ex-wife and her boyfriend imprisoned by planting ivory on her hit a snag after he was arrested for possession of ivory.
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ZIM_2021_07_Jealous man plants ivory in ex_wifes toilet_News Day.pdf | 161.36 KB |
Two unemployed Harare men appeared in court last week for illegal possession of ivory.
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ZIM_2021_07_2 nabbed for illegal possession of ivory_NewsDay.pdf | 346.58 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 |
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 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 |