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Operation Blue Rhino was initiated in 2018 to counter the surge in high-value wildlife crime in Namibia. The formal cooperation between government ministries is enabled through external funding support. Blue Rhino is facilitated through active collaboration amongst numerous partner organisations. Effective conservation systems that enable healthy wildlife populations form the foundation of biodiversity protection in Namibia. Anti-poaching initiatives guard against criminal impacts on vulnerable wildlife.

Poor national governance and low law enforcement are said to be amongst the primary drivers of the lucrative global ivory trade, which continues to threaten the existence of African elephants, a study by the University of Cape Town (UCT) and Oxford University found. The study, which also listed low household wealth and health and global elephant ivory prices as other contributing factors, sought to uncover what might drive, facilitate or motivate continent-wide poaching.

A man arrested for allegedly being in possession of two elephant tusks at the Buffalo checkpoint on Friday evening, was granted bail on Monday.

The Namibian Police in Mukwe constituency in the Kavango East region on Friday arrested a 31-year-old man after he was found in possession of controlled wildlife products - two elephant tusks. The suspect, who is now due for court, was arrested at buffalo checkpoint in the Mukwe constituency during a police special operation on Friday afternoon at around 19h00. The suspect will appear in the Rundu Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 16 January.

Private and communal lands now conserve at least 50% of Africa's rhinos, according to a newly published paper in journal 'Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment', highlighting the need for 'adaptive policies' to build on this success. These trends have policy implications as debates rage about rhino-horn trade and trophy hunting.

Twee Angolese mans is Vrydag in die Orwetoveni-nedersetting in Otjiwarongo in hegtenis geneem, nadat hulle in besit van die vel van 'n ietermagô betrap is. Die waarde van die vel is N$50 000. In 'n onverwante voorval is 'n 31-jarige Namibiër Vrydag by die Buffalo-kontrolepunt in die Mukwe-kiesafdeling in die Kavango-Oostreek met twee olifanttande betrap.

In the paper, published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society, the researchers found that the illegal killing of elephants is associated with poor national governance, low law enforcement capacity, low household wealth and health, and global elephant ivory prices. They further found that forest elephant populations suffered higher rates of illegal killing than savannah elephants. The illegal wildlife trade is one of the highest value illicit trade sectors globally, with thousands of wildlife species, worth billions of dollars, being poached, trafficked and sold…

Two Angolan men were arrested on Friday at the Orwetoveni township in Otjiwarongo for being in the possession of a pangolin skin valued at N$50 000. In a separate incident, a 31-year-old Namibian was arrested on Friday at Buffalo checkpoint in the Mukwe constituency (Kavango East region) for being in possession of two elephant tusks. The value thereof has not been determined.

The police in Divundu have arrested a 31-year-old man after he was allegedly found in possession of two elephant tusks.

Zahlen auf dritthöchstem Stand - Weniger Elefanten getötet. Auf der einen Seite sind die Zahlen erschreckend, auf der anderen machen sie Mut. Während bei der Nashorn-Wilderei die Summe der getöteten Tiere den dritthöchsten Stand seit 2013 erreicht hat, ist die Summe der zum Opfer gefallenen Elefanten seit 2016 jedes Jahr um die Hälfte gesunken.

Last year ended with one of the highest rhino poaching figures recorded in almost a decade. A total of 77 rhinos were poached in 2022 compared to 2021 when 45 rhinos were killed for their horns. Last year's figure is the third highest recorded since 2013, only surpassed by the 97 rhinos poached in 2015 and 84 killed by poachers in 2018.

Verlede jaar het geëindig met een van die hoogste renosterstroperysyfers in byna 'n dekade. Altesaam 77 renosters is verlede jaar gestroop - 32 meer as in 2021. Volgens die jongste statistieke wat deur die ministerie van die omgewing, bosbou en toerisme bekend gemaak is, is verlede jaar se syfers die derde hoogste sedert 2013. Die twee hoogste syfers is in 2015 en 2018 aangeteken met onderskeidelik 97 en 84 renosters wat in daardie jare gestroop is.

According to media reports, five Germans, two Americans, one Australian and four South Africans came under gunfire attack on a double-decker tour boat on Wednesday, in a broader drama involving the recent slaughter of about 25 elephants from a wandering herd. The tourists were attacked shortly after 10.30am on the eastern shores of the Jozini/Pongolapoort Dam on the southern border between SA and eSwatini.

A Gqeberha man was arrested for suspected abalone poaching in the early hours of January 11, after vigilant Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Metro (NMBM) Police officers spotted a suspicious vehicle, a red Toyota Condor, which was leaking water from the rear end. The man was found travelling with eight bags of de-shelled abalone at around 3.45am in the Summerstrand and Humewood area.

t's a grim and all too common sight for rangers at some of Africa’s nature reserves: the bullet-riddled carcass of an elephant, its tusks removed by poachers. African elephant populations have fallen by about 30% since 2006. Poaching has driven the decline. Some reserves, like Garamba in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Selous in Tanzania, have lost hundreds of elephants to poachers over the last decade. But others, like Etosha National Park in Namibia, have been targeted far less.

The Pongola Lake in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa, has erupted into an elephant poaching 'slaughterhouse', says the DA, as it calls again for national intervention. "Armed groups of poachers have now completely laid siege to the eastern shores of the lake, with several elephant carcasses recently found while dozens of gunshots have also been reported in the region. “Guards near the eSwatini border have allegedly also come under attack and infrastructure damaged and torched by the armed gang."

Wildlife officials have hailed the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) recent decision to appeal what it called the lenient sentences handed to two rhino poachers in May, as well as the jailing this week of one of the men in a separate case.

The government has put poachers at the Maasai Mara game reserve on notice after it emerged that five elephants and three giraffes were killed under mysterious circumstances over the past two months. Narok County Commissioner Isaac Masinde while addressing the Jamhuri day celebrations at Oldekesi Secondary School in Narok West Sub County said the three giraffes had their reproductive organs chopped off raising suspicion over the intention of the poachers.

Pretoria - The Hawks in Mpumalanga have arrested Martin Prince Lekhuleni, 37, and his sister Eunice Lekhuleni, 24, who were circulated by the elite crime fighting unit earlier this week as wanted individuals. The siblings, who were wanted on charges of money laundering in connection to payment of Kruger National Park field rangers in exchange for tactical information, handed themselves in to police.

Two people accused of money laundering avoided capture during a take-down operation in Mpumalanga. They are accused of paying money into accounts of Kruger National Park field rangers and their families in return for tactical information for rhino poaching syndicates. The Hawks have urged the pair to turn themselves in.

Pretoria - Six people have been remanded in custody after they appeared before the Zeerust Magistrate's Court for possession of a pangolin.

Pretoria - Two men, Junior Chauke aged 49 and Prince Ntsako Letswele, aged 33 were remanded in custody by the Ermelo Magistrate’s Court after they were arrested for alleged possession of rhino horn. Hawks' spokesperson in Mpumalanga Captain Dineo Lucy Sekgotodi said the duo was arrested after police received information about a vehicle with the occupants in possession of firearms, reportedly driving towards Ermelo.

A task team formed by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) will help captive lion breeders with a strategy to exit the industry. In a statement released by DFFE Minister Barbara Creecy, the appointment of the eight-member ministerial task team follows recommendations made by a high-level panel (HLP) on the management, breeding, hunting, trade and handling of elephant, lion, leopard and rhino.

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Amara Cherif, a/k/a "Bamba Issiaka," a citizen of Guinea, was sentenced to 57 months for conspiring to traffic in millions of dollars in rhinoceros horns and elephant ivory, both endangered wildlife species, which involved the illegal poaching of more than approximately 35 rhinoceros and more than 100 elephants. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods.

After receiving a tip-off from a whistleblower, two men were arrested for illegal possession of a pangolin in Alberton on December 11.

Cape Town - Anti-rhino poaching activist Wayne Bolton has called for stronger collaborative action from the government amid concern over rising rhino poaching cases. According to Bolton, rhino poaching across Africa saw a significant decrease during strict Covid-19 lockdowns, but as the restrictions loosened, poachers intensified their onslaught on the species, with South Africa being hardest hit.

The CGC Strike Force, Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), yesterday, said it arrested a 70-year-old man and his son, in connection with the seizure of 376.4kg of pangolin scales at Epe market in Lagos State.

Two suspected mountain zebra hunters were arrested in the Maltahohe area on Friday. They face charges of "hunting of specially protected game without a permit".

Quiçama Park administrator denounces that individuals with money have "encouraged" poachers. Lack of personnel and transport cited as a reason for poor enforcement. Park has just over 100 staff, but needs at least 600. In 2021, the Government presented a project to stop poaching in the country.

The two main suspects have pending charges of corruption, money laundering and fraud to related wildlife trafficking. Photo for illustration: Susan Scott, Stroop Police have arrested nine suspects between the ages of 22 and 61 in a multidisciplinary poaching blitz codenamed "Blood Orange" conducted in Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Limpopo provinces. The arrests follows a targeted investigation which involved looking into the suspect’s financial affairs, with auditing firm KPMG brought in to scrutinise the flow of cash into their accounts.

Senior Resident Magistrate Wanangwa Nyirenda on Thursday, December 1st 2022, sentenced Zambian national Kelby Roy Malambo to 15 years imprisonment with hard labour for the three charges he faced in the MK53m wildlife crime case involving elephant ivory.

International Rhino Foundation (IRF) communications director Christopher Whitlatch said: "Zimbabwean rhino poachers have been involved in major illegal activities in South Africa. "Taking the Eastern Cape as an example, the Zimbabwean rhino poaching gang that recently escaped from jail had been convicted for killing and dehorning numerous rhinos in hit-and-run incidents in that province. "Other cross-border rhino crimes include South African criminals operating in Zimbabwe," he said

Police said four women are in custody for the possession of lion cubs they were selling in Boksburg North.

Three men have been arrested in Cape Town for illegal possession and processing of abalone. The suspects, aged between 26 and 57, were nabbed on Thursday during a search and seizure operation by the Hawks and members of Sea Border Police Cape Town.

Altesaam 106 verdagtes is vanjaar vir stropery in hegtenis geneem. Intussen maak rolspelers gereed om wildbeskerming en wetstoepassingspogings teen wildmisdaad in Namibië hierdie feesseisoen op te skerp. Van hierdie 106 is 44 vir renosterstropery en 62 verdagtes vir olifantstropery in hegtenis geneem. Die ministerie van die omgewing, bosbou en toerisme se woordvoerder, mnr. Romeo Muyunda, het gesê wat ontstellend is, is dat 93 van dié verdagtes Namibiërs is - 'n groep wat volgens die ministerie die voortou in die stryd teen stropery behoort te neem.

A member of the Namibian Police Force's (NamPol) Protected Resources Unit (PRU) in the Otjozondjupa Region, who is accused of the alleged theft of a rhino horn placed under his care, secured bail on Thursday. Magistrate Peingondjabi Shipo granted the 45-year-old Sergeant Salatiel Simon bail of N.dollars 10 000, on condition that the accused does not leave the district of Otjiwarongo without informing police officers involved in the investigations of his case.

The Kruger National Park (KNP) expects a decline in rhino poaching incidents due to heavy sentences imposed on five poachers in November. The acting managing executive of the KNP, Dr Danny Govender, commended the Skukuza Regional Court for imposing lengthy jail terms in recent cases and said it shows they are making good progress in fighting rhino poaching.

A 39-year-old man is expected to appear before the Calcutta Magistrate's Court in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga, today after he was arrested by the Nelspruit Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation, the White River K9 Unit and Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Authority.

In der vergangenen Woche wurden vier neue Fälle der Wildtierkriminalität gemeldet, und sechs 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. Am 22. November wurde der 46-jährige Tende Ngongo bei Rundu festgenommen, weil er im Besitz von 37 Kudu-Fleischstücken war. Der Mann wurde angeklagt, gegen die Naturschutzverordnung verstoßen zu haben und nicht in der Lage zu sein, den Besitz zufriedenstellend zu erklären…

Kruger National Park, the world's greatest refuge for rhinos, is losing them to poaching faster than they're being born. The park's last rhino may already be alive. It's time to declare an emergency.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism says 63 rhinos have been poached since January this year.

Die Zahlen sprechen für sich: Bisher verzeichnete das Ministerium für Umwelt, Forstwirtschaft und Tourismus (MEFT) in diesem Jahr 63 gewilderte Nashörner, davon 41 schwarze und 22 weiße. Wiederum 15 der gewilderten Tiere wurden auf Pachtfarmen gewildert und 22 auf privaten Agrarbetrieben. Die anderen 26 wiederum im Etoscha-Nationalpark. Weiterhin gab die Behörde bekannt, dass die Zahl im Vergleich zu den Vorjahren bereits gestiegen sei. So standen 2021 44 Nashörner, im Jahr davor 42, 2019 53 zu Buche. 2017 seien es 55 gewesen.

THE Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism (MEFT) has recorded 63 rhinos poached since the start of the year, of which 41 are black rhinos and 22 are white rhinos. Spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said this year’s poaching cases include 15 rhinos poached on custodianship farms, another 22 on private farms, and 26 in the Etosha National Park. In previous years, 44 rhinos were recorded poached in 2021, 42 in 2020, 57 in 2019, 83 in 2018, and 55 in 2017.

Muyunda said even though Namibia continues to record successes in the fight against wildlife crime, poaching of highly valued species remains a concern. In 2022 to date, Namibia recorded 63 rhinos poached cases in the country consisting of 41 black rhinos and 22 white rhinos. "This year’s poaching cases include 15 rhinos poached on custodianship farms, another 22 on private farms, and 26 in the Etosha National Park.

The environment and tourism ministry says even though it continues to record successes in its fight against wildlife crime, poaching of highly valued species remains a concern. Ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda over the weekend said 63 rhinos have been poached in the country this year alone. This includes 41 black rhinos and 22 white rhinos. This year’s poaching cases include 15 rhinos poached on custodianship farms, another 22 on private farms and 26 in the Etosha National Park.

Zimbabwe's rhino population remains among the bright sparks on the African continent after it increased by 14 percent from a total 887 in 2017 to now stand at 1,033. The statistics were compiled by Rhino Specialist Groups of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and trade monitoring organisation TRAFFIC, ahead of the 19th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP19) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wildlife Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Panama this month.

There is a resurgence of poaching activities targeting rhinos at Matobo National Park, which threatens to reverse gains made over the years to protect the endangered species. Matobo National Park in Matabeleland South has one of the highest rhino populations in the country. Six poaching incidents have been reported at the game reserve this year, according to Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) Matabeleland South regional manager Midwell Kapesa. Zimbabwe holds the fourth largest population of rhinos in Africa with 616 black rhinos and 417 white…

Namibia will step up efforts against wildlife crime in the country during this year’s festive season, an official said Saturday. Romeo Muyunda, spokesperson of the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT), said Namibia has observed that in the past poachers took advantage of the festive season to undertake criminal activities of poaching rhinos, pangolins, elephants, and other species. Muyunda said even though Namibia continues to record successes in the fight against wildlife crime, poaching of high valued species remains a concern. "In 2022 to date,…

Seven suspects were arrested last week in connection with old wildlife crime cases. This is according to weekly wildlife crime statistics issued by the protected resource division and the intelligence and investigation unit within the safety and environment ministries. On 19 November, two Namibian men, Festus Amunyela and Mekondjo Tsillinus, were arrested at Oshivelo for conspiring to poach a rhino on 16 June. In another incident, Angolan national Ndango Nicolaus was arrested on 17 November in Rundu for being in possession of a pangolin on 4 August.

Six people were arrested for rhino poaching, and one suspect for being in possession of a pangolin skin, states the report.