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Parties of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) can and must do more to address the dire impacts of the global illegal pangolin trade A new briefing document outlines the Environmental Investigation Agency's (EIA) findings and recommendations on key issues relating to global illegal pangolin trade. EIA says that following decades of overexploitation due to international trade, in 2016 all eight pangolin species were uplisted from Appendix II to Appendix I to Cites.

In a separate case, another Namibian national Ignasius Mbaraka was arrested at Outjo on 17 September, also in connection with an old case for conspiring to hunt a rhino. The case dates back to June when a rhino carcass and a vehicle were confiscated. He has been charged with the illegal hunting of specially protected game and for conspiring to hunt specially protected game. He is also a Namibian. Meanwhile, Namibian Alberto Johannes Joel was arrested on 12 September in Otavi for being in the possession of a pangolin. The case was not reported last week.

In the past decade Namibia's black rhino population have increased by more than 6% and its white rhinos have more than doubled. This is according to the latest State of Rhino report, published by the International Rhino Foundation every September ahead of World Rhino Day on September 22. But the report says wildlife crime is an ever-evolving challenge and requires collaboration and coordination within and between countries, as rhino horn trade is controlled by large criminal syndicates that operate multi-nationally.

Two men, aged 32 and 40, were arrested by members of Namibian police’santi-poaching unit in Etosha. They were found in possession of unlicensed firearms. The police reacted to a tip-off from a member of the public who said the men were planning an incursion into the park.

Bail was denied to three accused rhino poachers who appeared before the Otavi Magistrate’s Court yesterday on charges of rhino poaching and illegal possession of three rhino horns. Tjihange Japyangula, Tjingee Kaukamburua and Tjambira Paulus are each charged with one count of hunting of specially protected game and one count of possession of controlled game products.