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.
Tawanda Kakora of Nyamaropa Village in Mt Darwin will spend the next nine years in jail afer he was arrested while trying to sell a live pangolin. Kakora (34) of Nyamaradzo Village under Chief Nembire was sentenced to a mandatory nine-year jail term afer being convicted on charges of possession or selling a live pangolin. In passing sentence, Bindura magistrate Mrs Nomgugu Sibanda said there were no special circumstances warranting the court to be lenient. The prosecutor, Mr Carson Kundiona proved that on September 30, detectives from…
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ZIM_2023_11_Mt darwin man caged 9 years for pangolin_The Herald.pdf | 306.39 KB |
The recent sentencing of three wildlife poachers has been hailed as a success in the anti-poaching efforts of the Greytown community. Farmers, SAPS and security companies working together to curb poaching in the Greytown area have welcomed the sentences handed down to three men aged between 27 and 42 years old, who were found guilty of illegal hunting by the Greytown Magistrate's Court. The three men were each sentenced to eight months' imprisonment or a R2 000 fine.
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SA_2023_10_Sentencing of three wildlife poachers hailed as a success_The Witness.pdf | 406.05 KB |
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ZIM_2023_10_Cop in trouble over USS 15K pangolin skins_The Herald.pdf | 179.34 KB |
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ZIM_2023_10_Live pangolin lands Mt Darwin man in trouble_The Herald.pdf | 213.44 KB |
The courts have intensified the fight to combat breaches of wildlife laws with the Harare Magistrates Court dedicating Court 5 to deal with such issues, acting Deputy Prosecutor General Mr Michael Reza said yesterday. He told the Zimbabwe Animal Law conference in Harare yesterday that since the beginning of the year, nine cases have been completed while 12 new cases have been recorded. From January 2020 to date, 45 cases involving breaches of the parks and wildlife law have been prosecuted at the Harare Magistrates Court, and Mr …
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ZIM_2023_09_Court intensify fight aganst wildlife crimes_The Herald.pdf | 233.14 KB |
Six suspected poachers have been arrested in separate incidents in Bulawayo and Victoria Falls with the police recovering four ivory tusks and 10,5kg of kudu meat. The arrest comes afer the police declared war on poaching syndicates countrywide. In a statement, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrests.
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ZIM_2023_07_Six suspected poachers arrested in Bulawayo and Vic falls_The Herald.pdf | 188.77 KB |
Two suspected poachers believed to be part of a syndicate involved in wildlife crimes have been arrested in Chiredzi and police recovered pangolin scales, lion teeth and hyena teeth.
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ZIM_2023_06_Suspected poachers remanded in custody_The Herald.pdf | 275.08 KB |
Two suspected poachers who were selling four ivory tusks have appeared in court.
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ZIM_2023_06_Suspected ivory poachers in court_The Herald.pdf | 714.45 KB |
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ZIM_2023_02_Five arrested for possession of ivory_The Herald.pdf | 370.26 KB |
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ZIM_2023_02_30 poachers arrested_15 guns recovered in Kariba_The Herald.pdf | 566.81 KB |
A South African immigrant Brent Johan Lunt was yesterday acquitted on charges involving possession of
four rhino horns worth US$240 000 without a licence after the High Court found merit in his application for
review of the trial court proceedings that put him on his defence even though the horns had not been proved
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SA_SA man cleared of rhino horn possession charges_The Herald.pdf | 90.94 KB |
The judge sentenced Nguyen to 3 months imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to two counts charge preferred against him by the NCS. The convict was brought before the court on charges of acting in contravention of Nigeria Customs and Excise Management Act and unlawful possession of Pangolin scales, a specimen specified in the First Schedule to the Endangered Species Act.
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INT_2022_10_Court convicts Vietnamese for trafficking in Pangolin Scales_New Telegraph.pdf | 158.57 KB |
The Kruger National Park rhino population has again decreased from 2 809 at the end of 2020 to 2 458 rhinos at present.
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SA_2022_09_DA concerned over decline in rhino numbers at Kruger National Park_The Witness.pdf | 435.81 KB |
In Victoria Falls, police have arrested Listed Munkuli (35), Kudakwashe Ndlovu (31), Darlington Moyo (35) and Simon Nyoni (45) for unlawful possession of ivory at Mhizha Turn-off in the Matsetsi area. Two elephant tasks totalling 4,28kg, 15 lion claws and four lion teeth were recovered from the suspects. In another case, police and Zimbabwe National Parks Management Authority rangers, acting on a tip-off, arrested Evidence Moyo (22) for poaching. The suspect trapped and killed a male buffalo in the bush near the Victoria Falls dump site.
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ZIM_2022_08_Robber poachers arrested_The Herald.pdf | 230.53 KB |
Two men from Zvishavane and their friend from Goromonzi appeared in court yesterday on allegations of illegally possessing four pieces of raw Ivory worth US$6 426 they intended to trade in Harare.
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ZIM_2022_08_Trio intercepted with four pieces of ivory_The Herald.pdf | 783.95 KB |
Rhino poachers are heartless and kill every rhino they see - young or old, with of without a horn - just to get rid of them from the reserve and to "try and make their job easier", should they come back. This is according to Ezemvelo Wildlife spokesperson Musa Mntambo. This week, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment Barbara Creecy said that KwaZulu-Natal recorded a loss of 133 rhinos in the first half of the year - which is more than triple the 33 rhino killed in the first six months of 2021.
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SA_2022_08_KZNs rhino population is being decimated by highly organised poachers_Witness.pdf | 528.01 KB |
Almost 260 rhino were poached for their hornsin South Africa in the firstsix months of this year.
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SA_2022_08_Our Viewpoint _ Rhino poaching_Witness.pdf | 433.55 KB |
A zebra and its foal have been found dead, caught in the grip of a snare in the Bisley Nature Reserve.
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SA_2022_07_Snare kills mother zebra and foal at Bisley Nature Reserve_TheWitness.pdf | 474.99 KB |
Three people were arrested for alleged poaching inside the Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park in the northern KwaZulu-Natal. This was confirmed by the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife on Sunday, which said the trio were arrested before they could kill a rhino. The first man was arrested on June 6 and two others were caught two days later. These arrest bring the number of alleged poachers caught inside the Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park this year to five. "The Park has been under siege since the beginning of 2022.
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SA_2022_06_Three alleged poachers arrested in Hluhluwe_KZN_The Witness.pdf | 504.9 KB |
Magma Security and Investigations said while their officers were patrolling in the Karkloof area, a suspicious vehicle was observed on a client’s property just after 2am, on Sunday morning. It said that upon stopping the vehicle, the officers found six occupants with six dogs. "They had poached and killed two warthogs and six porcupines. Knives were found in their possession. Suspects were handed over to Howick SAPS," said Magma Magma Security and Investigations.
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SA_2022_05_Six alleged poachers arrested in a Howick Farm in KZN_The WitnessSA.pdf | 387.43 KB |
Another man has been arrested for illegal ivory dealing, being found trying to sell 21 pieces of ivory from his house in Gutu.
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ZIM_2022_05_Ivory poacher arrested in Gutu_The Herald.pdf | 244 KB |
A 59-year-old Masvingo farmer yesterday appeared in court after he was found in possession of 52 crocodile skins worth US$78 000, without a licence.
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ZIM_2022_04_Farmer appears in court for crocodile skin possession_The Herald.pdf | 284.42 KB |
A suspected poacher was shot and killed at Malilangwe Conservancy Trust in Chiredzi during a gunfight with game scouts on Saturday and while his two accomplices escaped the scouts did recover a rifle and ammunition.
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ZIM_2022_03_Suspected poacher shot dead_The Herald.pdf | 442.17 KB |
There is an urgent need to step up the fight against wildlife crime and human-induced reduction of species, which have wide-ranging economic, environmental and social impacts in the country, Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndhlovu says.
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ZIM_2022_03_Step up fight against wildlife crime_The Herald.pdf | 291.82 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 |
The South African National Parks (SANParks) warned people on Saturday about a video circulating on social media depicting a "severely injured White Rhino cow", saying it was "distressing to watch". In a statement, SANParks said that its rhino dehorning team made the gruesome discovery of a badly mutilated female rhino in the South of the Kruger National Park (KNP) on Thursday. "According to the SANParks Veterinarian and the Section Ranger who attended to the rhino, it appeared as if the animal had been shot a few days prior to being found.
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SA_2021_12_SANParks warns of video of distressed rhino cow_shot and hacked by poachers_The Witness.pdf | 637.31 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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
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 |
South African National Parks (SANParks) has welcomed sentences imposed for rhino poaching related crimes in two separate cases that have been finalised in Mpumalanga.The trials were concluded in the Mhala regional court in February and March. In one matter three people who were arrested in August 2018 were convicted of rhino poaching related charges including possession of two sets of rhino horns, a high calibre hunting rifle, ammunition and trespassing in a national park with the intention of committing crime as well as the illegal hunting of an endangered animal.
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SA_2021_03_SANParks welcomes sentences for rhino poaching related crimes_The Witness.pdf | 435.56 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 |
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 |
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 |