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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This comprehensive tool provides a summary of the Philippine Anti-money Laundering (AML) legal framework and practical guidance on basic financial investigations, evidence gathering and case development. Wildlife crimes are motivated by money, and most involve transactions with indelible records in financial systems. Financial investigation can be used to provide intelligence and evidence of criminality and support confiscation of assets.
New research identifies 10,443 critically endangered species worldwide, with effective protection strategies available if funding and political will follow. More than 1,500 species, or 15% of the critically endangered species, are estimated to have fewer than 50 mature individuals remaining in the wild. Just 16 countries hold more than half of all critically endangered species, with concentrations across the Caribbean islands, Atlantic coastal regions of South America, the Mediterranean, Cameroon, Lake Victoria, Madagascar and Southeast Asia.
A new Netflix documentary about pangolins, the world's most heavily trafficked mammal, is a powerful example of what can happen when media companies highlight the plight of lesser-known species. Most conservation dollars are directed at animals that already get attention and funding, like lions or elephants, while species like pangolins - which also have important ecological roles - receive comparatively little, so the narrative needs to change, a new op-ed argues.
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SA_2025_07_To save pangolins_we need to change the narrative_Mongabay.pdf | 254.63 KB |
Rustenburg, South Africa (25 July 2025) – A life has been spared from continued suffering thanks to the compassion and quick action of an individual who chose to take action rather than turn away. In the heart of Seraleng, a kind community member spotted a young pangolin wandering in distress and immediately called the SPCA Rustenburg for help on Wednesday.
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SA_2025_07_One call saves distressed pangolin Faith from wildlife traffickers_Good Things Guy.pdf | 402.16 KB |
Ten years have passed since the massive increase in rhino and elephant poaching drastically changed wildlife conservation and law enforcement in Namibia. The number of registered cases of wildlife crime and the associated arrests decreased again in most categories in 2024 compared to the previous year. "This could indicate a decrease in crime or be due to a lower clearance rate," according to the "Wildlife Protection and Law Enforcement" report by the Ministry of Environment and the Namibian Police for 2024. The total number of registered cases fell by 14%, the number of arrests…
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NAM_2025_07_Derease in wildlife crime_Allgemeine Zeitung.pdf | 75.66 KB |
Malawi's President Lazarus Chakwera has granted a presidential pardon to Lin Yunhua, a Chinese national sentenced to 14 years in prison for wildlife trafficking. Lin was among 37 inmates who received a presidential pardon as part of Malawi's 61st independence anniversary celebrations on July 6. Conservationists have since expressed their disappointment, warning that Lin's pardon might demotivate frontline officers working to protect Malawi's wildlife.
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MAL_2025_07_Shock and alarm as Malawi pardons wildlife trafficker Lin Yunhua_Mongabay.pdf | 107.01 KB |
President Lazarus Chakwera is facing a torrent of criticism after controversially pardoning two convicted Chinese wildlife traffickers, in what civil society leaders and environmentalists have branded a shameful betrayal of Malawi's fight against corruption, wildlife crime, and executive accountability.
Authorities put the value of the seizure at N952million and say the items were headed to Vietnam. Mohammed Abba-Kura, Customs Comptroller, said at a media briefing on Tuesday in Lagos that the items were contained in a one-unit 20-feet container with number CSLU 2362640 heading to Haiphong, Vietnam. He said the items, falsely declared as furniture, comprised 162 sacks of pangolin scales weighing 8,800kg and 57 sacks of mixed endangered species of various sizes such as ivory/animal horns, lion bones and others.
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NIG_2021_01_Nigeria Customs intercepts huge haul of pangolin scales ivory_Premium Times.pdf | 1.69 MB |
Measures to help curb the spread of Covid-19 in Uganda - such as restrictions on movement - apparently have not deterred the illegal international wildlife trade. The demand for both traditional wildlife products (such as pangolin scales) and newer ones (such as elephant penises) has continued, with numerous arrests made last year. There was an increase in poaching in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda’s top wildlife reserve, with 60 poachers arrested between March and May 2020.
Increased political buy-in for law enforcement and interdiction efforts at ports in East Africa have pushed wildlife smuggling westward to Nigeria. Between 1998 and 2014, the top two countries associated with ivory seizures were Tanzania and Kenya. Since 2014, Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo have overtaken them. Corruption at the ports, the involvement of influential politicians, and rural poverty make Nigeria an aractive waypoint for smugglers.
Members of Upington Highway patrol have arrested a male suspect in connection with possession of Endangered Species. Police got information about the suspect yesterday and it was operationalized. The suspect was found at a hiking spot in Upington hitch hiking to Olifantshoek. He was searched and pangolin skin was found in his luggage. It is valued at about R108 750.00, weighing 2,05 kg.
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SA_2021-01_Man arrested for posession of pangolin skin_SAPS.pdf | 130.92 KB |