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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 - 11 of 11
Monday, 29 August 2022
Smit E 2022. Rhino poaching in Africa drops during Covid-19.

Rhino poaching rates in Africa declined to 2.3% in 2021 from 3.9% of the population in 2018. This is according to a new report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the global non-governmental organisation Traffic. The report was compiled for the 19th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which will be held in Panama in November.

Thursday, 18 August 2022
Smit E 2022. Poaching gang targets white rhinos.

Last week, five white rhinos were poached on private farms, bringing 2022's total to 39, of which 15 were white rhinos.

Wednesday, 10 August 2022
Smit E 2022. Vier renosters, twee dae.

In die minder as agt maande van 2022 wat al verby is, is 36 renosters reeds oraloor die land gestroop. In die nuutste voorvalle is die karkas van ’n witrenoster gister op 'n private plaas in die Okahandja-distrik ontdek. Maandag is karkasse van nog twee gestroopte witrenosters op 'n private plaas in die Outjo-distrik aangemeld. Net verlede week het die ministerie gesê 33 renosters is vanjaar gestroop, waarvan 24 swartrenosters en nege witrenosters was.

Wednesday, 10 August 2022
Smit E 2022. 36 rhinos poached.

Eight months into the year and already 36 rhinos have been poached across the country. In the latest incidents, the carcass of a white rhino was discovered yesterday on a private farm in the Okahandja district. On Monday, the carcasses of two more white rhinos - killed by poachers - were discovered on a private farm in the Outjo district. Just last week, the ministry said 33 rhinos had been poached this year, of which 24 were black rhinos and nine were white rhinos.

Friday, 5 August 2022
Smit E 2022. Renosterstropers stel hul visier op plase in.

Volgens die woordvoerder van die ministerie van die omgewing, bosbou en toerisme, mnr. Romeo Muyunda, het vanjaar se stroperyvoorvalle 15 gestroopte renosters in die Etosha Nasionale Park, nege renosters op bewaringsplase en nog nege op private plase ingesluit.

According to the spokesperson of the Ministry of the Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Mr. Romeo Muyunda, this year's poaching incidents included 15 poached rhinos in the Etosha National Park, nine rhinos on conservation farms and another nine on private farms.

Friday, 26 June 2020
Smit E 2020. Eight arrested for wildlife crimes.

While only two new cases of wildlife crimes were reported recently, eight suspects were arrested and charged. At Katima Mulilo, Roster Mazila Mukendwa was arrested on 14 June for the illegal hunting of protected game. He was found in possession of a duiker carcass and charged with contravening the Nature Conservation Ordinance Act. In a separate incident, Gerhard Iyambo was arrested on 17 June at Okahao in connection with an old case, dating back to February, regarding conspiring to hunt a rhino. 

Friday, 19 June 2020
Smit E 2020. Ten arrested for wildlife crimes.

A total of five wildlife products were seized: two oryx carcasses, a pangolin skin and two aardvark carcasses.

Thursday, 11 June 2020
Smit E 2020. 17 arrested for wildlife crimes.

A rhino horn, two elephant tusks, a pangolin skin and a crocodile skin were seized by the police last week. Thirteen suspects were arrested in connection with rhino poaching or trafficking and two for elephant poaching or trafficking. Five wildlife products were seized: a rhino horn, two elephant tusks, a pangolin skin and a crocodile skin.

Tuesday, 9 June 2020
Smit E 2020. Babi withdraws urgent High Court application.

An urgent application by self-proclaimed prophet Jackson Babi to, amongst others, review and set aside his arrest in connection with rhino poaching was withdrawn yesterday. The High Court application was filed by his lawyer Kadhila Amoomo on 4 June. However, Magistrate Linus Samunzala last week ordered Babi to be transferred to the Gobabis Magistrate's Court to appear on a charge of hunting specially protected game.

Monday, 8 June 2020
Smit E 2020. 16 arrested for wildlife crimes.

Ten wildlife products were seized, which included six rhino horns, two elephant tusks and two giraffe carcasses. A total of seven new wildlife crimes were reported recently, while 16 suspects were arrested. Eleven of the suspects were arrested in connection with rhino poaching and/or trafficking cases, while two others were arrested for elephant poaching and/or trafficking.

Thursday, 4 June 2020
Smit E 2020. Groupies form human shield around 'prophet' Babi.

Followers of self-proclaimed prophet Jackson Babi yesterday formed a human shield around him during his latest appearance in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court. Babi (30) left the court surrounded by his supporters, who pushed reporters away and grabbed cameras to prevent photos being taken of him. Although the matter was set down for a bail application yesterday, the defence decided to apply for bail at a later stage.

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