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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The body of an alleged poacher was found in the Kruger National Park on July 12. According to Mpumalanga police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Jabu Ndubane, the body was found at about 08:30, and it is suspected that he was killed during an exchange with field rangers the previous night, July 11, around 21:00.
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SA_2025_W07_Poacher killed in Kruger National Park shootout_Citizen.pdf | 142.63 KB |
The Skukuza Regional Court sentenced Silas Mathebula (38), a Mozambican national, to 30 years behind bars on March 10 for poaching-related offences committed in 2019. According to a provincial National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Monica Nyuswa, Mathebula was convicted on multiple charges, including trespassing, conspiracy to commit a crime, killing three rhinos, possession of a prohibited firearm, possession of an unlicensed firearm, and possession of a hunting rifle and ammunition.
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SA_2025_03_Hefty jail sentence for KNP poacher_Lowvelder.pdf | 200.45 KB |
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.
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SA_2022_12_KNP expects decline in rhino poaching_LowVelder.pdf | 401.71 KB |
Last week's sting operation not only saved a young female Temminck's pangolin from the clutches of poachers, but her unborn pangopup too.
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SA_2022_05_Pregnant pangolin survives poachers_focus now on her pangopup_SowetanLive.pdf | 2.73 MB |
The reopening of the Skukuza Regional Court is producing positive results, with a 100% conviction rate for rhino poachers over the past two years. The court had been closed by the Mpumalanga Regional Court president Naomi Engelbrecht in August 2019, who wanted it to be moved to Mhala Court about 100 kilometres from Skukuza. However, this decision was overruled and the court was reopened again in April 2021.
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SA_2022_04_Poachers face full might of the law in Skukuza court_Lowvelder.pdf | 526.82 KB |
One of three suspects, who were denied bail by the Oshakati Magistrate's Court after allegedly being found in possession of two rhino horns, is appealing the decision in the Oshakati High Court. Petrus Mashuna (35) from Iitapa village in Omusati is hoping to reverse the decision by Magistrate Makapa Castro Simasiku to deny him bail.
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NAM_2018-05_Rhino horn accused fights for bail_Namibian Sun.pdf | 72.89 KB |
The rhino-poaching court case of former Brave Warriors team doctor Gerson Kandjii and four other accused was postponed to 23 September after he and co-accused Stephanus David failed to turn up at the Okahao Magistrate’s Court on Friday.
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NAM_2016-08_Poaching suspect Kandjii a no show_Namibian Sun.pdf | 84.82 KB |