Search results

Of the 6 060 arrests made in connection with wildlife crime cases since 2015, only 1 802 resulted in convictions by the end of 2024 - a conviction rate of just 30%. By the end of 2024, 1 738 of the 2 845 wildlife crime cases registered since 2015 remained unresolved, a new report has revealed. The Namibia National Report on Wildlife Protection for 2024 notes that these figures highlight shortcomings in gathering sufficient evidence during investigations, effectively proving guilt during prosecutions, finalising cases in court and ultimately, delivering justice.

Just around 7% of all suspects arrested for rhino-related crimes in Namibia over the past decade had been convicted by the end of 2024. Since 2015, when the current rhino poaching crisis first peaked, 726 rhinos have been recorded as poached in Namibia by last year. According to the Namibia National Report on Wildlife Protection for 2024, proactive law enforcement has led to the arrest of 855 suspects accused of rhino-related crimes. However, the report notes that the lack of serious consequences for such offences remains a major challenge for rhino conservation and protection in…

Only about 7% of all suspects arrested for rhino-related crimes in Namibia in the past decade have been convicted by th end of 2024. Since 2015 when the current rhino poaching crisis first peaked, 726 rhinos have been recorded as poached in Namibia by last year. According to the Namibia National Wildlife Protection Report for 2024, proactive law enforcement led to the arrest of 855 suspects accused of rhino-related crimes.

Namibia's succulents are being poached at levels that could quickly wipe out entire species, and that for a global ornamental plant market largely unaware of the damage being caused. According to the Namibia National Wildlife Protection and Law Enforcement Report for 2024, live-plant trafficking poses a massive threat to Namibian succulents and pachycauls. Large numbers of live plants were once again seized in 2024, although the number of arrests and seizures was lower than in 2023.

Namibia's succulents are being poached at levels that could quickly wipe out entire species, and that for a global ornamental plant market largely unaware of the damage being caused. According to the Namibia National Wildlife Protection and Law Enforcement Report for 2024, live-plant trafficking poses a massive threat to Namibian succulents and pachycauls. Large numbers of live plants were once again seized in 2024, although the number of arrests and seizures was lower than in 2023.

Six suspects have been arrested in connection with wildlife crimes in six separate cases from 18 April to 25 April, while 10 illegal wildlife products were confiscated.

On 12 April, Haita Paulus Tjambiru was arrested at Orupembe in connection with an old case dating back to October 2015 in which a rhino was illegally hunted. He was charged with contravening the Nature Conservation Ordinance. In another incident at Ondangwa on 13 April, Phillipus Alfeus was arrested for being in possession of two python skins.

Although wildlife crime is ultimately driven by demand in consumer countries, Namibians continue to make up over 90% of arrested wildlife crime suspects in country. This according to the environment ministry and police’s Annual Wildlife Crime Report for 2020. A massive 91% of the 304 suspects arrested for wildlife crimes of high value species in last year were Namibians. Suspects from neighbouring countries made up the rest of the arrests and included Angolans (5%), Zimbabweans (4%) and Batswana (0.4%).

Among the more than 300 people arrested for wildlife crimes involving high-value species last year, several were important, high-level suspects that included dealers and kingpins. According to the Combatting Wildlife Crime Annual Report 2020, a kingpin from a neighbouring country with "complex Namibian connections and links to end markets in Asia" was arrested in Namibia during a covert operation last year. A suspect with dual nationalities under different aliases was also arrested while attempting to traffic contraband from regional sources into Namibia.