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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.

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Displaying results 1 - 11 of 11
Wednesday, 26 October 2022
Twahirwa A 2022. Tracking social media to uncover ivory trafficking in Rwanda.

The use of social media has allowed smugglers of wildlife products to expand their network's reach using Rwanda as a transit route, experts say.

Thursday, 20 October 2022
Dlamini N 2022. Poaching syndicates are trapping vulnerable villagers in Zimbabwe.

Poaching syndicates are recruiting vulnerable villagers in Zimbabwe's animal corridors to kill animals such as elephants for their ivory, and to find markets, even on the streets, it has emerged. Police in areas such as Hwange, Kamativi and Victoria Falls in Matabeleland North have in recent months arrested people found trying to sell pieces of ivory on the streets. Conservationists say most of the locals arrested are people that were exploited by cunning syndicates, including some run by Zambian nationals, and they often lacked knowledge about wildlife crimes.

Thursday, 20 October 2022
Reiter C 2022. Vier Fälle von Wildtierkriminalität in zwei Tagen gemeldet.

In der vergangenen Woche wurden vier neue Fälle der Wildtierkriminalität gemeldet, und fünf Verdächtige wurden im Zusammenhang mit diesen Straftaten verhaftet. Dies geht aus einem Bericht der Abteilung für geschützte Ressourcen, der namibischen Polizei, des Innenministeriums und des Umweltministeriums hervor. Dem Bericht zufolge wurden insgesamt acht Wildtierprodukte beschlagnahmt, darunter Duiker-Kadaver, Elefantenstoßzähne und lebende Schuppentiere.

Wednesday, 19 October 2022
2022. Five arrested in relation to four wildlife crimes.

Four newly registered wildlife crime cases have been made between 11 and 12 October and five Namibian men were arrested in relation to these cases. This was revealed by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism's weekly wildlife crime statistics. These statistics indicate that two elephant tusks, two live pangolins and four full duiker carcasses were confiscated after the arrest of the suspects, which took place in the Oshana, Kavango East and Omaheke regions.

Tuesday, 18 October 2022
McGrath M 2022. Ivory seized decades ago still turning up in raids.

Confiscated ivory from elephants killed more than 30 years ago has turned up in recent raids, say scientists. The tusks were once part of a stockpile seized from poachers and held in sealed containers by the government of Burundi. In this study, researchers used DNA and carbon dating techniques to show that some of that stored material is now in the hands of smugglers.

Monday, 10 October 2022
2022. Environmental crime is world's third most lucrative crime.

With environmental crime ranking as the world’s third largest illegal trade, INTERPOL has joined calls at the United for Wildlife (UfW) global summit for enhanced collective efforts against the criminal syndicates behind wildlife crime and its impact on communities and biodiversity. Poaching and trafficking undermine the rule of law and economic development.

Friday, 7 October 2022
Gallagher C 2022. Malaysian group sanctioned for 'cruel trafficking' of ivory, rhino horn and pangolins from Africa.

The US has imposed sanctions against a Malaysian group, accusing it of engaging in "the cruel trafficking of endangered and threatened wildlife and the products of brutal poaching". The Treasury department said on Friday it has designated Malaysian national Teo Boon Ching, the Teo Boon Ching wildlife trafficking transnational criminal organisation and Malaysian company Sunrise Greenland. Teo Boon Ching specialises in the transportation of rhino horn, ivory and pangolins from Africa. It uses routes through Malaysia and Laos to reach customers in Vietnam and China, the department…

Friday, 7 October 2022
Heita J 2022. Only 36 arrests for rhino poaching this year compared to 80 in 2021.

Only 36 people have been arrested for rhino-related poaching cases this year, compared to 80 last year. This was revealed by environment minister Pohamba Shifeta as the ministry received a donation of 10 vehicles, park management and law enforcement equipment worth approximately N$ 21.7 million funded by the Integrated National Park Management II (NamParks V and Covid-19 Fund) and Integrated Wildlife Protection (IWPP) projects. In contrast, 55 rhinos have been poached this year, compared to 44 in 2021. Two elephants have been poached so far this year compared to eight in 2021.

Friday, 7 October 2022
Mtawali W 2022. Malawi: Zambian national guilty, convicted in MK53 million wildlife crime, awaits sentencing.

Malambo, who started defending himself on 8 March this year, was found with 22 pieces of raw ivory, weighing 64.905 kilograms and valued at about MK53 million. He was arrested at Mwami Border Total Filling Station in Mchinji in February, 2021.

Wednesday, 5 October 2022
Vatileni E 2022. Rhino poaching cases on the rise.

The minister of environment, forestry and tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, says 36 people have been arrested for rhino-related cases this year alone. Shifeta was speaking at the handover of 10 vehicles, park management and law enforcement equipment funded by the Integrated National Park Management II (NamParks V and Covid-19 Fund) and Integrated Wildlife Protection projects in Windhoek on Wednesday. According to Shifeta, it is of great concern that 55 rhinos have been poached to date this year. "This is compared to 44 rhinos poached in 2021.

Wednesday, 5 October 2022
2022. Rhinos poached this year up to 55 - Ministry receives NS 21.7 million worth of equipment to assist in poaching.

A total of 55 rhinos have been poached to date this year, the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism (MEFT) said Wednesday, adding that the current statistics are deeply concerning. This is compared to a figure of 44 rhinos in 2021, however, 36 people have been arrested for rhino-related cases this year, compared to 80 in 2021, the MEFT Minister Pohamba Shifeta highlighted on the occasion of the handover of 10 vehicles, park management and law enforcement equipment funded by the Integrated National Park Management II (NamParks V and Covid-19 Fund) and Integrated…

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