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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 - 5 of 5
Thursday, 3 July 2025
2025. Three suspects arrested in possession of rhino horns in the Western Cape.

Three suspects aged between 35 and 45 have been arrested for the illegal possession and selling of rhino horns, following a joint operation by law enforcement agencies in the Western Cape. The arrests took place on Wednesday 2 July, during an undercover operation conducted by the Hawks' Bellville-based Economic Protected Resources (EPR) unit, with assistance from the SAPS K9 Unit, Overberg, and the Stock Theft and Endangered Species unit based in Swellendam.

Monday, 19 May 2025
2025. N$160,000 reward offered after rhino poaching near Maltahöhe.

Authorities are offering a reward of N$160,000 for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for a brutal poaching incident in the Hardap Region. Between 9 and 11 May 2025, a white rhinoceros cow was found shot and dehorned on a farm near Maltahöhe. Her orphaned calf, named Elsa, was discovered two days later and has since been rescued. The Namibian Police's Blue Rhino Task Team, alongside Mike Bolhuis from Specialised Security Services in South Africa, is leading the investigation.

Monday, 30 January 2023
2023. Nigeria greenlights a new law to tackle wildlife trafficking and protect endangered species.

The Endangered Species Conservation and Protection Bill - prepared by the Nigerian Ministry of Environment and jointly sponsored by Johnson Oghuma, Chair of the House Environment Committee, and Sam Onuigbo – would make Nigeria compliant with international conventions on endangered species, organised crime and corruption while increasing investigative powers to include financial enquiries and intelligence-led operations.

Tuesday, 19 April 2022
2022. Our investigation into pangolin trade from Uganda to China exposes serious legal loopholes.

Our investigation into pangolin trade from Uganda to China exposes serious legal loopholes.

Friday, 5 February 2021
Thornton A 2021. History repeating: The illegal trade in rhino horn.

Rhino populations are being hammered by poachers, steeping Africa in blood and pushing the species ever-closer to extinction to satisfy the demand for rhino horn in Vietnam and other countries - a demand largely based on the myth of the non-existent medicinal properties of rhino horn. For the record, rhino horn is entirely composed of keratin, also the chief component in hair, nails and animal hooves; you’ve as much chance of curing cancer by biting your nails as you have by drinking powdered rhino horn.

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