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Namibian Wildlife Crimes article archive

This archive of published media articles about wildlife crime in Namibia aims to:

  • provide easy public access to published information and statistics
  • enable easy stakeholder access to articles
  • provide a comprehensive archive of wildlife crime reporting in Namibia

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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Displaying results 1 - 9 of 9
Sunday, 17 August 2025
Evans J 2025. How illegal harvesting of vulnerable plants and animals strips the Cape's ecology.

Many times a week, CapeNature compliance officers and SAPS units chase down plant poachers - some driven by economic hardship, others by profit - supplying a market for ornamental conversation pieces in homes around the world. Whether buyers realise it or not, the trade has cascading ecological impacts and undermines tourism livelihoods. Between April and June 2025, CapeNature - the public institution responsible for biodiversity conservation in the Western Cape - registered 12 biodiversity crime cases. Eight involved flora (plant life), while four related to fauna (animal life…

Friday, 16 May 2025
Mtawali W 2025. Malawi: Judge says no bail for pardoned Chinese wildlife offender.

In a dramatic twist that has sent shockwaves through Malawi's justice and conservation circles, Principal Resident Magistrate Benjamin Chulu has ordered that Chinese wildlife crime kingpin, Lin Yun Hua, remain behind bars as he awaits trial for serious corruption charges. Yun Hua, once dubbed Malawi's most notorious environmental criminal, was on the verge of walking free after a controversial presidential pardon - despite serving less than half of his 14-year sentence for wildlife trafficking and money laundering. The move sparked an uproar.

Tuesday, 3 December 2024
Evans J 2024. Landmark De Hoop Marine Protected Area conviction sets precedent for environmental accountability.
For the first time, the state successfully convicted a fishing company not only for illegal fishing within a Marine Protected Area but also for causing environmental damage, resulting in a R1-million fine and signalling a tougher stance on marine conservation enforcement.
Thursday, 13 June 2024
Evans J 2024. 'Great day' for conservation as rhinos reach safe haven in Greater Kruger as part of rewilding project.
Thirty-two southern white rhinos were safely delivered to Sabi Sand Nature Reserve last month. It's a private reserve within the Greater Kruger system and is engaged in what is believed to be the largest rewilding of a species of that size.
Thursday, 10 August 2023
Evans J 2023. Captive lion industry breeds crime syndicates, says new investigative report.

A new investigative report on SA's lion farming industry comes to a damning conclusion: 'This new intelligence gathered by brave sources confirms what was previously suspected - these well-established, legal operations are plugged secretly into unethical practices and an illicit international trade network.'

Friday, 7 October 2022
Mtawali W 2022. Malawi: Zambian national guilty, convicted in MK53 million wildlife crime, awaits sentencing.

Malambo, who started defending himself on 8 March this year, was found with 22 pieces of raw ivory, weighing 64.905 kilograms and valued at about MK53 million. He was arrested at Mwami Border Total Filling Station in Mchinji in February, 2021.

Sunday, 29 May 2022
Mtawali W 2022. Malawi: Court adjourns hearing of defense in Mk53m wildlife crime involving Zambian national.

Malambo was found with 22 pieces of raw ivory, weighing 64.905 kilograms valued at about MK53 million at Mwami Border Total Filling Station in Mchinji in February 2021, which led to his arrest.

Tuesday, 25 May 2021
Tshuma N 2021. Abalone poacher fined R50 000 for R2.4 million haul.

Cape Town - The Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries has joined the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation in welcoming the sentencing of a 49-year-old man for the illegal possession and transportation of abalone valued at R2.4 million. Moegamat Amien Fakier was sentenced to a fine of R50 000 or two years' imprisonment when he appeared in the Khayelitsha Priority Court on Thursday last week.

Thursday, 20 May 2021
Tshuma N 2021. Collectors drive a spike in theft of indigenous plants in the Western Cape.

Cape Town - CapeNature says it has noted a worrying spike in the theft of indigenous plants in the province. It said it has begun to notice that crimes relating to the theft of endangered indigenous plants in the province had begun to steadily increase, even under strict Covid-19 restrictions. CapeNature spokesperson Petro van Rhyn said while there were several reasons why the illegal trade had picked up recently, the most notable reasons pointed to the huge demand by plant collectors to own the naturally occurring plants, native to South Africa and…

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