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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.
Explore your search results using the filter checkboxes, or amend your search or start a new search.
Dumisani Gwala, who was in 2014 arrested on rhino poaching charges along with coaccused Wiseman Mageba and a third, since deceased accomplice, told Mtubatuba Regional Court that his arrest and charging following a sting operation was a case of mistaken identity.
| Attachment | Size |
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| SA_2023_07_Mistaken identity led to rhino poaching kingpin arrest_Zululand Observer.pdf | 261.45 KB |
Day three of the rhino poaching trial involving alleged 'kingpin' Dumisani Gwala and his co-accused Wiseman Mageba is under way at Mtubatuba Regional Court, following cross-examination of the State witness yesterday (Wednesday). Magistrate Anand Maharaj, presiding over the case, on Wednesday cautioned State witness - former SAPS investigating officer of the case Jean Pierre van zyl Roux - about speculating about allegations that Gwala had the 'police in his pocket'.
The rhino poaching trial in which Wiseman Mageba and Dumisani Gwala are co-accused was today (Thursday) adjourned to July owing to the State prosecutor’s unavailability because of a family tragedy.
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| SA_2023_05_Rhino poaching kingpin_Trial adjourned_accuseds bail condition waived_Zululand Observer.pdf | 194.54 KB |
Wiseman Mageba and his co-accused Dumisani Gwala have pleaded not guilty to rhino
poaching allegations in a case which resumed at Mtubatuba Regional Court today
(Tuesday). The pair face a combined 12 charges relating to the alleged illegal purchase and possession
of rhino horn, resisting arrest, and attempted murder.
| Attachment | Size |
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| SA_2023_05_Mtubatuba rhino poaching accused plead not guilty_Zululandobserver.pdf | 192.3 KB |
According to Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife’s rhino poaching statistics available on the organisation’s website, a total of 99 have fallen victim to poachers this year.
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| SA_2022_05_KZN rhino poaching numbers already high for 2022_Zululand Observer.pdf | 341.26 KB |
A report by the South African government reveals a worrisome increase in the number of rhinos poached in 2021, as the decline attributed to the COVID restrictions is now being threatened with reversal. But is it too late to turn the tide?
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| SA_2022_04_It is too late to save South Africas rhinos_Fair Planet.pdf | 334.73 KB |
The continued refusal by the government of Botswana to allow game rangers to carry firearms, coupled with the country's secrecy on poaching statistics and other wildlife data, is baffling conservationists. On 25 September, as Botswana marked a belated World Rhino Day, former president Ian Khama - a renowned wildlife conservationist - took to his Facebook page to share his thoughts.
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| BOT_2021_12_Political rivalries flare in Botswana and animals pay the price_FairPlanet.pdf | 451.12 KB |
A 24 percent decline in the number of white rhinos over the past decade has caused wildlife conservationists to panic over the future of the endangered pachyderms on the African continent. Despite concerted efforts made by most African states to protect their rhinoceros populations, an International Rhino Foundation (IRF) report has revealed that rhino numbers continue to drop due to poaching.
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| AFRICA_2021-10_Continued African Rhino loses alarm conservationists_ FairPlanet.pdf | 75.19 KB |
Caracals living in Noordhoek wetlands are under siege from all sides, facing considerable threats to their survival. This nocturnal and elusive wild cat native to Africa has become a prime target for ruthless poachers who capture them for bushmeat or sell their body parts on the illegal wildlife black market. Caracals also face increased habitat loss and lack of habitat connectivity.
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| SA_2020-12_Caracals under seize from poachers infiltrating Noordhoek Wetlands_Network for Animals.pdf | 962.96 KB |
Six months into COVID-19 lockdown and with most southern African nations not having social safety nets for their citizens, there has been an uptick in wildlife poaching across the region.