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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Elephant poaching is likely driven by need, not greed, according to findings published this month in Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Fewer elephants were poached where humans were healthier and wealthier, according to researchers from Oxford University, the UN, the University of Cape Town, and other institutions who analyzed data from more than 10,000 killings over nearly two decades and across 30 African countries.
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AFR_2023_01_What drives elephant poaching Its not greed_National Geographic.pdf | 238.88 KB |
NU Borders, LLC, a Boston, MA and Washington, DC-based data analytics company, continues to grow its presence in the conservation and antipoaching domain. In September 2021, NU Borders partnered with the Zambesia Conservation Alliance (ZCA), a non-profit organization focused on increasing awareness of wildlife conservation efforts through meaningful and impactful initiatives within the Zambesia region of Africa, comprising the countries of Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Some 125 people have been arrested for rhino poaching and rhino horn trafficking across the country in the past six months. According to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment while the national lockdowns curbed the movement of people to halt the spread of Covid-19 in 2020 contributed to a decrease in rhino poaching, however the lifting of the stringent lockdown regulations appears to have seen an increase in rhino poaching in the first six months of 2021.
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SA_2021_08_249 rhino poached in first six months of 2021_South Coast Herald.pdf | 417.22 KB |
The amount of elephant ivory, rhino horn, and pangolin scales intercepted by authorities in 2020 was far less than compared with the previous five years, according to analysis for National Geographic by the Center for Advanced Defense Studies (C4ADS). The coronavirus pandemic likely dampened both the ability of wildlife traffickers to move their products internationally and of law enforcement to detect them, according to the group, a U.S.
By introducing a zoning approach, the necessary resources can be redirected to areas most in need of support. Seven Integrated Wildlife Zones are being introduced across South Africa to protect the country’s rhino. "By demarcating areas primarily around rhino populations, wildlife in the area, as well the people living in and around conservation areas, will be protected," said the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Barbara Creecy.
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SA_2020-10_Wildlife zones introduced to protect rhino_South Coast Herald.pdf | 309.77 KB |
The arrest and recovery was made by the Pietermaritzburg Flying Squad and K9 Unit during a joint operation. A South Coast man was arrested for being in possession of a rhino horn valued at R1,2 million after being stopped during a police operation in Pietermaritzburg last week.
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SA_2020-10_Bail denied to rhino horn suspect_South Coast Herald.pdf | 1.66 MB |
Some conservationists and activists in South Africa are concerned that criminal syndicates are making it even more difficult to protect rhinos from poachers.
The regulatory measures apply to all sub-species of black rhino found in South Africa, including the Eastern black rhino, and the white rhino.
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SA_2020-06_Tighter provisions for domestic trade in rhino horn published_South Coast Herald.pdf | 822.76 KB |
The effects of poaching and climate change are keenly felt In Zambia and Zimbabwe. This ecological
frontline is manned by innovative, but under-funded conservation units, with tourism supporting the survival
of some of Africa’s rarest species.