About two weeks ago, a 68-year-old farmer in the Otjimbingwe area in the Erongo region found the remains of five blue wildebeest on his land, valued at about N$50 000. His fence had been cut and tyre tracks showed where a vehicle drove in and out. The animals were shot, butchered and their parts removed, leaving only heads, legs and some meat behind. "Blue wildebeest are protected, and I gave no one permission to cut my fence or hunt on my farm. I want a police investigation and prosecution," he told the police. But farmers in the area say they expect little action. A Naukluft farmer, who has dealt with repeated poaching incidents, said police assistance is inconsistent. "If it's fresh, you might get a response, but often a case is just opened and left," he claimed. "Unless you catch someone with the meat, it's almost impossible to prove anything. It's frustrating for farmers and for police." He added that another frustrating aspect of persistent poaching is that suspects are repeatedly arrested and then released. "They get bail again and again. Some have more than 20 cases open and still get bail," he claimed. "That's a serious problem in the justice system. We have laws, but offenders keep walking out and committing more crimes."