Search results

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.

Explore your search results using the filter checkboxes, or amend your search or start a new search.

Displaying results 1 - 7 of 7
Thursday, 27 May 2021
Smit E 2021. Four nabbed with pangolin skins.

In the first incident at Rundu, a Namibian was arrested on 6 May for possession of a pangolin skin. Mukunga Leonard Mwamba was charged with illegal possession of and dealing in controlled wildlife products. At Kamanjab on 7 May, an Angolan national was arrested in possession of a pangolin skin. He was charged with contravening the Controlled Wildlife and Trade Act, illegal possession of and dealing in controlled wildlife products. Lastly, two Namibians were arrested at Oshakati on 14 May for being in possession of a pangolin skin.

Friday, 21 May 2021
Smit E 2021. Four nabbed with pangolin skins.

Within a period of two weeks there have been three wildlife crime cases recorded and four suspects have been arrested and charged. These cases were reported from 3 to 16 May, according to information provided by the intelligence and investigation unit within the environment ministry and the protected resources unit within the safety and security ministry. In the first incident at Rundu, a Namibian was arrested on 6 May for possession of a pangolin skin. Mukunga Leonard Mwamba was charged with illegal possession of and dealing in controlled wildlife products.

Wednesday, 12 May 2021
Smit E 2021. Three caught at Nkurenkuru with python skins.

Three of these suspects were arrested in separate cases on the same day at Nkurenkuru for being in possession of python skins. On 26 April, four Namibians were arrested at Okahao for being in possession of a giraffe carcass. They were charged with illegal hunting of specially protected game, illegal hunting on state land, failure to account for a game meat in their possession, defeating the course of justice and conspiracy to hunt specially protected game.

Wednesday, 30 July 2014
Smit E 2014. Another rhino killing discovered in Kunene.

Another case of rhino poaching has been discovered in the Kunene Region. An old carcass of a rhino was found on Sunday in the area of Etendeka. The discovery came barely a week after the skull of a rhino that had been poached was found in the same area.

Friday, 25 July 2014
Smit E 2014. Poaching will hit tourism industry hard.

The escalation of rhino and elephant poaching in Namibia will have a devastating impact on the country's tourism industry if it continues unabated. Experts in the tourism industry told Namibian Sun that the impact Namibia will experience in the short and long term will include a drop in tourist arrivals, job losses in the sector and revenue loss. The country's reputation will be harmed and it may even hold political risk for government if the recent surge of poaching is not addressed.

Thursday, 24 July 2014
Smit E 2014. Rhino carcass discovered in Kunene.

Another case of rhino poaching has been discovered in the Kunene Region and is being investigated by the police. A spokesperson for the police, Deputy Commissioner Edwin Kanguatjivi, yesterday confirmed that a rhino carcass was discovered on July 17 at Etendeka in the Sesfontein area. Members of the Save the Rhino Trust discovered the carcass during a routine patrol at Otjijapa village. Upon closer inspection of the skull it was found that the rhino had been dehorned.

Monday, 14 July 2014
Smit E 2014. LAC gets involved in fighting poaching.

The Legal Assistance Centre (LAC) has embarked on a community advocacy campaign focusing specifically on conservancies in the Palmwag Concession area that are most affected by the escalation in black rhino poaching. The project coordinator of the Legal Assistance Centre, Willem Odendaal, said the Conservation Support Project stems from recommendations made during a stakeholder workshop on wildlife crime held in May this year. Odendaal made the remarks when the Pupkewitz Foundation donated a Toyota Land Cruiser to the Legal Assistance Centre.

NOT FOUND WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR? AMEND YOUR SEARCH...