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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 - 12 of 12
Thursday, 12 June 2025
Moser K 2025. Dehorning reduces poaching by 78 %.

While Namibia and other southern African countries are struggling to protect their rhinos from poaching, scientists are looking for solutions to make the rhino financially unattractive to poachers. According to a new research report published in Science magazine on June 5, dehorning is currently the most effective solution to prevent poaching. The team of scientists led by Kuiper, Haussmann and Whitfield found that dehorning rhinos leads to a drastic reduction in poaching compared to other measures.

Wednesday, 21 May 2025
2025. 15 rhinos poached this year.

Fifteen rhinos and one elephant have been poached this year. This was confirmed by the tourism ministry today. The ministry said that as part of their bi-annual report on wildlife crime and law enforcement, they will issue a detailed statement on the matter in June, including updates on poached animals, suspects arrested, items confiscated, and general crime prevention strategies put in place.

Wednesday, 21 May 2025
2025. N$160 000 award for rhino poaching.

Former tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta expressed his disappointment in the ministry's actions and communication regarding the latest rhino poaching in the Hardap Region. A white rhino cow was poached this weekend on a farm near Maltahohe, leaving behind a calf named Elsa orphaned. The calf was only found two days after the incident. A reward of N$160 00 has been issued for any information.

Monday, 4 September 2023
Bothoko P 2023. Cape pangolin poaching on the rise.

The illegal trade in Cape pangolin scales amongst East African nations is suspected to be the driving force behind the unlawful killing of the creatures in Botswana.

Wednesday, 26 July 2023
Mosikare L 2023. Zim duo in illegal possession of pangolin.

Francistown: Two men from Zimbabwe appeared in court Tuesday to face a count of capturing a protected game animal and another for entering Botswana unlawfully. According to the charge sheet, Kelvi Maposa, 43, and Matitshidza Sibanda, 33, both unemployed and from Plumtree in Zimbabwe, being persons not licensed, authorised or exempted unlawfully captured a pangolin being a protected game animal without a permit to do so.

Wednesday, 28 June 2023
Kraai Z 2023. Pangolin poacher convicted.

Tsabong Police Station Commander, Superintendent Christopher Tlhapi-David says the recent interception of poachers by his team in which the suspects were later found in possession of a pangolin, signals concern for other protected species.

Wednesday, 15 September 2021
Mosikare L 2021. Tenderpreneur pleads guilty to illegal ivory possession.

Franzistown: A tenderpreneur has pleaded with the court to be lenient when sentencing him after pleading guilty to illegal possession of an elephant tusk.

Monday, 13 September 2021
Mosikare L 2021. Appeal against 'SADC poaching ringleader' stalls.

Francistown: It is more than two years since the state successfully appealed the case of the alleged SADC poaching ringleader, Dumisani Moyo, on urgency but has not acted on the appeal thereafter. In May 2019, Magistrate Lebogang Kebeetsweng acquitted and discharged Moyo of allegedly unlawfully being found in possession of a rhinoceros horn contrary to Section 70 of the Wildlife Conservation and National Parks Act.

Tuesday, 2 March 2021
2021. Rhino poaching: 'Khama is lying, malicious, grossly irresponsible'.

The Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) director Kabelo Senyatso has strongly refuted claims by former president Ian Khama that 120 rhinos have been poached in the last 18 months.

Wednesday, 25 November 2020
Bothoko P 2020. Poaching suspect injures soldier.

BDF is investigating a case in which the suspected poacher allegedly stabbed the soldier with a sharp object during an anti-poaching operation.

Wednesday, 11 March 2020
2020. Soldier, poacher killed in rhino hotspot shootout.

Botswana Defence Force (BDF) soldier and a poacher have died during a poaching incident that happened early this morning at Chiefs Island in heart of the Okavango Delta, the army has confirmed.

Friday, 14 February 2020
2020. Of body bags and poached rhinos.

Shoot-to-kill policies just don’t work, are immoral and unlawful too. To my knowledge, the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) and Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) anti-poaching squads have killed well over 60 alleged poachers since the late 1980s with no discernible effect.

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