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.
One of the world’s most famous game reserves, Thula Thula in South Africa, has survived the Covid-19 pandemic without any loss of wild animal to poaching. Francoise Malby-Anthony, who runs the game reserve
said that she kept on all her anti-poaching staff throughout covid which prevented any animals being killed by poachers.
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SA-2020-06_COVID_19 elephant poaching_Journal of African Elephants.pdf | 3.03 MB |
Der Prozess gegen den der Nashorn-Wilderei beschuldigten Prediger Jackson Babi und dessen mutmaßlichen Komplizen Friza Dumeni, hat gestern eine Wendung genommen, als die Staatsanwaltschaft auch gegen einen Anhänger des selbsternannten Propheten formal Anklage erhoben hat.
The trial of preacher Jackson Babi, accused of poaching rhino and his alleged accomplice Friza Dumeni, took a turn yesterday when the prosecution also formally charged a supporter of the self-proclaimed prophet.
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NAM_2020-06_Babi_Junger in Erklarungsnot_Allgemeine Zeitung.pdf | 338.26 KB |
NAM_2020-06_Babi disciples in need of explanation_Allgemeine Zeitung_Eng.pdf | 240.5 KB |
Die Namibiese polisie het verlede week op vyf olifanttande en een elk renosterhoring, ietermagôvel en ‘n voertuig beslag gelê.
Last week, Namibian police seized five elephant tusks and one rhinoceros horn, a pangolin skin and a vehicle.
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NAM_2020-06_5 olifanttande 1 renosterhoring gekonfiskeer_Republikein.pdf | 311.84 KB |
NAM_2020-06_5 pieces of ivory and rhino horn confiscated_Republikein_Eng.pdf | 219.59 KB |
Die vermeende renosterstroper, pastoor Jackson Babi en een van sy kerkvolgelinge, mnr. Ananias Ananias, het vandag in die Windhoek-landdroshof op twee klagte van die oortreding van die teenkorrupsiewet verskyn.
The alleged rhino poacher, pastor Jackson Babi and one of his church followers, Mr. Ananias Ananias, appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court today on two charges of violating the anti-corruption law.
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NAM_2029-06_Babi volgeling van omkopery aangekla_Republikein.pdf | 309.47 KB |
NAM_2020-06_Babi follower charged with bribery-Republikein_Eng.pdf | 213.87 KB |
An attempt by Prophet Jackson Babi to bribe the detective investigating poaching charges against him to bear false testimony in court during his formal bail application, has caused the man of God to sink deeper into legal trouble. Besides an amount of N$13 000 in cash police officers searching the cells during the past weekend also found two mobile phones in the possession of the accused persons while they were incarcerated at the Windhoek Police Station which added even more charges to the accused persons’ charge sheets.
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NAM_2020-06_Prophet appears on attempted bribery charge_Informante.pdf | 289.79 KB |
A ministerial panel is reviewing policies on international trade in rhino products. Any move to legalise this trade would be a disaster - for the remaining population of wild rhinos, for South Africa's tourism and for
impoverished people living near our wildlife reserves.
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SA_2020-06_Legalising rhino horn trade will be a disaster_DailyMaverick.pdf | 172.26 KB |
Twee Namibiese mans, Jimmy Habate Gawaseb en Friedriek Stuurman, is op 2 Junie in die Kamanjab-landdroshof skuldig bevind aan die onwettige jag van ‘n kameelperd in Augustus 2018.
Two Namibian men, Jimmy Habate Gawaseb and Friedriek Stuurman, were convicted in the Kamanjab Magistrate's Court on June 2 for illegally hunting a giraffe in August 2018.
While only two new cases of wildlife crimes were reported recently, eight suspects were arrested and charged. At Katima Mulilo, Roster Mazila Mukendwa was arrested on 14 June for the illegal hunting of protected game. He was found in possession of a duiker carcass and charged with contravening the Nature Conservation Ordinance Act. In a separate incident, Gerhard Iyambo was arrested on 17 June at Okahao in connection with an old case, dating back to February, regarding conspiring to hunt a rhino.
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NAM_2020-06_Eight arrested for wildlife crimes_Namibian Sun.pdf | 282.91 KB |
Geen afname in olifantstropery in Afrika. Ondanks nuwe navorsing deur Elephants Without Borders (EWB) wat aandui olifantstropery in Afrika toon sedert 2011 geen afname nie, is slegs twee olifante tot dusver vanjaar in Namibië gestroop. Volgens die woordvoerder van die ministerie van die omgewing, bosbou en toerisme, mnr. Romeo Muyunda, is slegs twee olifante sover in 2020 in onderskeidelik die Zambezi- en Kunenestreek gestroop.
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NAM_2020-06_Slegs twee olifante vanjaar gestroop_Republikein.pdf | 368.51 KB |
NAM_2020-06_Only two elephants were poached this year_Republikein_Eng.pdf | 367.22 KB |
The Rhino Files are periodic articles exploring the complexity of rhino conservation in Namibia.
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NAM_2020-06_The Rhino Files_ Rhino conservation during a pandemic_The Namibian.pdf | 597.64 KB |
Vier Namibiese mans is verlede Donderdag by Karasburg in hegtenis geneem met glo een gemsbok- en drie koedoekarkasse in hul besit.
Four Namibian men were arrested last Thursday in Karasburg with one oryx and three kudu carcasses in their possession.
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NAM_2020_06_Vier vas oor jag van koedoes_Republikein.pdf | 312.77 KB |
NAM_2020-06_Four arrested for hunting kudu_Republikein_Eng.pdf | 45.65 KB |
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 |
Zimbabwe will not pull out of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in order to sell its stockpile of ivory tusks worth US$600 million, the Minister of Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Mangaliso Ndlovu, has said.
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ZIM_2020-06_Zimbabwe wont pull out of CITES_Journal of African Elephants.pdf | 848.34 KB |
New research led by Elephants Without Borders (EWB) reveals that poaching of African elephants for their ivory has not decreased since 2011 in Western, Southern, and Central Africa. As a result, continued efforts to combat poaching will be necessary to save elephant populations. The new study was published June 23rd in Scientific Reports, in collaboration from researchers at the University of Washington and the Amboseli Trust for Elephants.
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BOT_2020-06_Elephant poaching is not decreasing in Africa_Journal of African Elephants.pdf | 99.31 KB |
A soldier was arrested after he was found in possession of a pangolin as he was looking for a buyer in Msasa,
Harare.
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ZIM_2020-06_A soldier was arrested after he was_NewsdzeZimbabwe.pdf | 154.4 KB |
A total of five wildlife products were seized: two oryx carcasses, a pangolin skin and two aardvark carcasses.
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NAM_2020-06_Ten arrested for wildlife crimes_Namibian Sun.pdf | 283.7 KB |
The Covid-19 pandemic has led to a worldwide crisis of food insecurity and unemployment. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) warns of rising hunger and poverty. Commentators, particularly from the global North, have raised concerns about the implications for biodiversity. The first is that in some places, budgets for biodiversity conservation have been reduced due to a drastic drop in tourism revenue and the diversion of funds and forces to health-related functions. Secondly, growing poverty and the loss of livelihoods may drive people to poaching.
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NAM_2020-06_Sustaining wild species is critical_The Namibian.pdf | 1.13 MB |
Botswana began removing the horns from its rhinos and moving them away from the iconic Okavango Delta as an unprecedented poaching crisis threatens their survival in the country. The government said that at least 56 of the animals had been killed by poachers in the past two years, marking the worst onslaught since Botswana’s black rhino population was wiped out in 1992 and the number of white rhinos dropped to just 27.
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BOT_2020-06_Botswana saws off horns to save rhinos from poachers_Citypress.pdf | 3.12 MB |
Umweltministerium setzt auf Nachhaltigkeit und bekämpft erfolgreich die Wilderei. Obwohl der Sektor als maßgebliches Wirtschaftsstandbein gehandelt wird, steht das Ministerium für Umwelt, Forstwirtschaft und Tourismus mit seinem Ausgabenplan im namibischen Haushalt für 2020-21 gerade Mal an 16. Stelle von insgesamt 33 Ausgabenposten. Der Minister verlässt sich indessen auf viel Hilfe aus Deutschland und von weiteren Entwicklungspartnern.
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NAM_2020-06_Große Plaene mit wenig Geldmitteln_Allgemeine Zeitung.pdf | 368.36 KB |
NAM_2020-06_Big plans with little money_Allgemeine Zeitung_Eng.pdf | 265.53 KB |
Northern Cape-The Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation has resulted in the arrest of a 48-year-old suspect for allegedly trading in a pangolin. The suspect who originates from Botswana was arrested on Tuesday after information surfaced that he intended selling a pangolin that is an endangered species. A sting operation resulted in the suspect being arrested after he was found in possession of the said pangolin.
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SA_2020-06_Services_SAPS.pdf | 134.41 KB |
The Chama Subordinate Court has sentenced a poacher to seven years imprisonment for illegal possession of elephant ivory weighing 10 kilograms. Lovemore Nkhowani, 60, a former wildlife police officer, turned into a notorious elephant poacher nicknamed Mbanje, was charged with one count of Unlawful Possession of Prescribed Trophy, that is elephant ivory, contrary to section 130(1) of the Zambia wildlife Act No. 14 of 2015.
Lubango, Angola, June 16 (Xinhua) - Two men have been arrested on Tuesday by the National Police of Angola while they were heading towards the central Huila province with 28 kg of ivory.
Botswana's Wildlife Department had embarked on an operation to relocate and dehorn all rhinos to tackle poaching in the country. According to a statement issued by the department on Monday, the Okavango Delta rhino population had been hard hit with 56 animals reported poached as of May 4.
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BOT_2020-06_Botswana resumes dehorning to fight rhino poaching_Xinhua.pdf | 309.13 KB |
'n Namibiese man, mnr. Harry Garoeb, is Saterdag by Outjo glo met twee erdvarkkarkasse in hegtenis geneem.
A Namibian man, Mr. Harry Garoeb, was allegedly arrested on Saturday at Outjo with two aardvark carcasses.
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NAM_2020-06_Man vas met twee erdvarkkarkasse_Republikein.pdf | 221.55 KB |
NAM_2020-06_Man arrested with two aardvark carcasses_Republikein_Eng.pdf | 221.58 KB |
The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has allocated 36% of its budget to wildlife and protected area management. This was announced by minister of environment, forestry and tourism Pohamba Shifeta during his budget motivation in the National Assembly on Thursday.
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NAM_2020-06_Wildlife gets bulk of environment budget_The Namibian.pdf | 755.58 KB |
A tip-off led to the arrest of a man caught attempting to sell a live pangolin.
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SA_2020-06_Limpopo man arrested after trying to sell live pangolin_The South African.pdf | 344.55 KB |
The Chinese Academy of Engineering claims that the 'legal' wildlife industry is valued at $74 billion. South Africa is the largest exporter of live wild animals to Asia. At least 5 035 live wild animals were exported from South Africa to China between 2016 and 2019, according to The Breaking Point report published by the EMS Foundation and Ban Animal Trading (BAT).
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SA_2020-06_The Breaking Point_Could this report spell the end of SAs wildlife trade_IOL.pdf | 187.55 KB |
Forestry Commission officials in Victoria Falls last week recovered oranges, cucumbers and amarula fruits in a plastic bag laced with cyanide poison. It is suspected that some poachers left them hanging on a tree in a bid to kill elephants in the forest. National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident.
Namibia has managed to arrest more than 1,790 suspected poachers of high valued and iconic species such as rhino and elephant at the end of 2018 up to May 2020, an official said this week.
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NAM_2020-06_More than 1790 poaching suspects netted over 2 years_Namibia Economist.pdf | 613.72 KB |
The Namibian Police arrested a deputy director in the Ministry of Lands at its Gobabis sub-regional office for her role in the alleged illegal hunting of an oryx valued at N$6 000. Mclesia Mbaisa (49) who heads the Division of Land Reform was arrested alongside her brother Marvin Mbaisa (36) and Rudolf Katjiuanjo (35) following the illegal hunting of the wild animal at Heath Bell resettlement farm in the Gobabis district.
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NAM_2020_06_Deputy director_brother arrested for illegal hunting_Confidente Namibia.pdf | 666.93 KB |
A rhino horn, two elephant tusks, a pangolin skin and a crocodile skin were seized by the police last week. Thirteen suspects were arrested in connection with rhino poaching or trafficking and two for elephant poaching or trafficking. Five wildlife products were seized: a rhino horn, two elephant tusks, a pangolin skin and a crocodile skin.
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NAM_2020-06_17 arrested for wildlife crimes_Namibian Sun.pdf | 235.64 KB |
China verwyder ietermagô van tradisionele medisynelys - Beter beskerming
Pastoor Jackson Babi (30) van die House of Joy Ministries het Maandag in die landdroshof op Gobabis op nóg 'n klag van renosterstropery verskyn. Dit volg nadat die selfverklaarde profeet verbind word met 'n sindikaat van minstens agt beskuldigdes wat glo verantwoordelik is vir die stropery van vier renosters op twee verskillende plase in die Gobabis-distrik.
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NAM_2020-06_Pastoor in Gobabis_hof oor renosterstropery_Republikein.pdf | 301.38 KB |
NAM_2020-06_Pastor in Gobabis court on rhino poaching_Republikein_Eng.pdf | 204.76 KB |
The police suspect that two rhino horns, allegedly found at the Windhoek house of religious preacher Jackson Babi, had been kept in a refrigerator before Babi handed the horns and a firearm over to a police officer two weeks ago.
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NAM_2020-06_Rhino horns in preachers fridge_The Namibian.pdf | 487.64 KB |
Flamboyant preacher Jackson Babi yesterday withdrew an urgent application that his lawyer Kadhila Amoomo had filed in the High Court last week to have his arrest and the search at his house declared as unlawful.
Just as Judge Harald Geier was ready to hear evidence, Amoomo filed the request to withdraw the matter and offered costs to the lawyers of the prosecutor general, the inspector general of the Namibian Police and the magistrate of the district of Gobabis, who had indicated that they would oppose the application.
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NAM_2020-06_Preacher withdraws urgent application_New Era.pdf | 319.77 KB |
An urgent application by self-proclaimed prophet Jackson Babi to, amongst others, review and set aside his arrest in connection with rhino poaching was withdrawn yesterday. The High Court application was filed by his lawyer Kadhila Amoomo on 4 June. However, Magistrate Linus Samunzala last week ordered Babi to be transferred to the Gobabis Magistrate's Court to appear on a charge of hunting specially protected game.
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NAM_2020-06_Babi withdraws urgent High Court application_Namibian Sun.pdf | 327.08 KB |
Der selbsternannte Prophet Jackson Babi, der des illegalen Besitzes von zwei Rhinozeros-Hörner angeklagt ist, wird bis auf weiteres in Haft bleiben, nachdem sein Prozess gestern am Magistratsgericht in Gobabis auf den 15. September vertagt wurde.
Self-proclaimed prophet Jackson Babi, who is accused of illegally possessing two rhinoceros horns, will remain in custody until his trial commences at the Gobabis magistrate's court on September 15.
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NAM_2020-06_Prophet bleibt in Untersuchungshaft_Allgemeine Zeitung.pdf | 313.46 KB |
NAM_20202-06_Prophet remains in custody_Allgemeine Zeitung_Eng.pdf | 310.2 KB |
Serious crimes are being committed in Namibia - crimes against our precious wildlife, our natural heritage and, ultimately, our people. The criminal syndicates behind poaching are highly organised, professional and very clever. They are growing rich by stealing Namibia’s natural heritage, using poor Namibians to do their dirty work for them in return for less than 10% of the product’s market value. Those poaching on the ground thus bear all the risks associated with illegal activities, yet see precious little of the profit.
Religious preacher Jackson Babi, who is facing criminal charges after rhino horns were allegedly discovered in his house in Windhoek, is claiming the police's search of his home and also his second arrest last week were unlawful.
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NAM_2020-06_Preacher questions rhino poaching arrest_The Namibian.pdf | 555.74 KB |
Ten wildlife products were seized, which included six rhino horns, two elephant tusks and two giraffe carcasses. A total of seven new wildlife crimes were reported recently, while 16 suspects were arrested. Eleven of the suspects were arrested in connection with rhino poaching and/or trafficking cases, while two others were arrested for elephant poaching and/or trafficking.
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NAM_2020-06_16 arrested for wildlife crimes_Namibian Sun.pdf | 198.26 KB |
Police in the Western Cape continue to crack down on abalone poaching and smuggling, and a separate offender gets 20 years behind bars.
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SA_2020-06_Police nab abalone poachers and bust large scale cleaning facility_The South African2020.pdf | 367.44 KB |
Local so-called prophet Jackson Babi and his co-accused Frizans Naululu Dumeni who were due to appear in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court yesterday for a bail application had their criminal case postponed to 24 July for further police investigations. The duo were arrested for illegally possessing two rhino horns and for the possession of a firearm and ammunition without a licence.
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NAM_2020-06_Prophet has rhino case deferred_New Era.pdf | 502.29 KB |
Ses Namibiese mans is verlede Woensdag in die Okahandja-landdroshof vir die sameswering om 'n renoster te stroop en die oortreding van die wet op vuurwapens en ammunisie gevonnis.
Six Namibian men were sentenced on Wednesday in Okahandja Magistrate's Court for conspiring to poach a rhino and violating the firearms and ammunition law.
The Ministry and the UNDP said biodiversity is especially significant to Namibia with about 70% of people depending on natural resources based productive systems for survival. "Even though many livelihoods depend on the environment, more needs to be done to safeguard and foster its ability to sustain livelihoods," they said. According to the two, poaching is one of the biggest threats to the country’s natural environment as it threatens the population of our iconic wildlife species such as elephants and rhinos.
Diligent detective work by the Protected Resources Division (PRD) of the Namibian Police, led to more poaching charges being registered against Prophet Jackson Babi. The prophet is currently in police custody on poaching charges that stem from an arrest last week at his home in the Kleine Kuppe neighbourhood of Windhoek. Babi, along with Frizans Naululu Dumeni, Alberto Mbwale and Joseph Matheus, were all taken into custody when they were found in possession of two rhinoceros horns last Tuesday evening.
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NAM_2020-06_Poaching charges piling up against prophet_Informante.pdf | 319.59 KB |
According to a police report compiled after his death, Brighton Munkombwe, 30, of Douglasdale in Bulawayo, collapsed at the entrance of the police charge offce last Friday. He was arrested after he was found with three kilogrammes of the deadly cyanide granules in a bag when he was cornered by an anti-poaching reaction team of police and rangers. The reaction team had received a tip-off that Munkombwe wanted to buy ivory from some villagers and laid an ambush in Gwayi. Four villagers who Munkombwe was suspected to have been trading with…
Dehorning is controversial, especially as it makes male rhinos vulnerable in fights. But they are not essential for survival, and, like fingernails, they grow back.
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SA_2020-06_South Africa dehorns rhinos to curb poaching surge_trtworld.pdf | 444.57 KB |
The report, which is jointly compiled by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism's intelligence and investigations unit and the protected resources division of the Namibian Police, detailed that the seven cases saw the arrest of 16 suspects. All those apprehended are Namibian nationals. Of those arrested, 11 were in connection with rhino poaching or trafficking, two in connection with elephant poaching or trafficking, two for the hunting of giraffe, and one for contravening the Arms and Ammunition Act. Among the wildlife products seized were six rhino…
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NAM_2020-06_16 Namibians nabbed for Wildlife crime_The Namibian.pdf | 636.08 KB |
Net voor die vermeende renosterstropers, pastoor Jackson Babi (30) en die 25-jarige mnr. Frizans Dumeni, gisteroggend in die Windhoek-landdroshof vir hul borgtogaansoek verskyn het, het 'n boer laat weet nóg twee witrenosterkarkasse is op 'n plaas in die Gobabis-distrik gevind.
Each year in South Africa the African Pangolin Working Group (APWG) retrieves between 20 and 40 pangolins through intelligence operations with security forces. These pangolins are often-traumatised and injured and are admitted to the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital for extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation before they can be considered for release. In 2019, seven rescued Temminck’s pangolins were reintroduced into South Africa’s Phinda Private Game Reserve in the KwaZulu Natal Province. Nine months on, five have survived.