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Private rhino owners are taking extraordinary steps to protect their animals following an increase in poaching incidents, including the brutal killing of a rhino cow in the Hardap region earlier this month.  The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) has confirmed that 15 rhinos and one elephant have been poached across the country so far this year.  In response to growing concerns, a private rhino owner has offered a N$160 000 reward for information leading to the arrest and successful prosecution of those behind the Hardap incident.

Katima Mulilo: A renewed crackdown on poaching in the Zambezi region is yielding results. Wildlife crime in the area is now under control, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) has confirmed. The assurance follows the recent arrest of a suspect at the Katima Mulilo checkpoint, who was found in possession of lion bones and fat. MET's chief control warden for the region Morgan Saisai said the successful operation reflects the strength of ongoing anti-poaching measures, strategic partnerships and active community involvement.

Reports of drone sightings in rural parts of the country are raising concern among farmers, who suspect the devices may be used for poaching and livestock theft. According to the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU), more farmers are reporting drones flying over farms and remote homesteads, especially at night. The union said the sightings have sparked questions about possible links to recent criminal activity. In response, a group of concerned individuals has created a protocol to track drone sightings and compare them with reports of theft or poaching.

Namibia Wildlife Protection (NWP), a wholly-owned Namibian company providing anti-poaching security solutions to private individuals and businesses, depends on the reliability and dependability of their JAC T9 Super Lux double cab. Working in conjunction with NWP's thermal drone flights and regular foot patrols, the company utilises the JAC T9 to cover large tracts of private Namibian territory to detect any illegal movements or activities related to poaching."We see ourselves as one of the industry leaders in protection innovation.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has announced a complete ban on drones within Etosha National Park, citing escalating security concerns linked to rhino poaching. Colgar Sikopo, the ministry’s deputy executive director of Natural Resource Management, stated that while drones were previously permitted under strict conditions, the increasing misuse by visitors has necessitated a stricter approach. "Many visitors have been entering the park and using drones with no such permission.

The matter in which Chinese businessman Hou Xuecheng and his Namibian co-accused Hamutenja Hamutenya were summoned to appear on a count of dealing in controlled wildlife products from 2014, was put on hold again on Wednesday. This time, it is to allow Xuecheng, who is no stranger to the law, the opportunity to raise funds to pay for his lawyer, Kadhila Amoomo. The matter was already struck from the court roll on several occasions because the PG did not have her ducks in a row, and then re-enrolled.

More than a week after the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources announced a N$10 000 reward for information regarding the deliberate killing of Cape Cormorants near Henties Bay, no leads have emerged. The ministry's spokesperson, Uaripi Katjiukua, confirmed on Thursday that not a single member of the public has come forward with vital information. "We are, however, confident that some information will be forthcoming and that we will be able to initiate a criminal investigation soon," she said.

The minister said the court enables the swift prosecution for offenses such as wildlife trafficking, illegal logging and pollution, aligning with national and international efforts to safeguard the environment.

Three suspected poachers were shot and killed in the Etosha National Park last Friday, the Namibian Police Force has announced. Members of the police’s anti-poaching unit at Etosha observed shoeprints during their routine foot and vehicle patrols. The following day, they tracked down the suspected poachers.

A deadly exchange of gunfire during which three suspected poachers were killed occurred over the weekend in the Etosha National Park. According to the Inspector General of the Namibian Police, Lieutenant General Joseph Shikongo the fatal exchange of gunfire followed a routine patrol by members of the Anti-Poaching Unit. "The confrontation began on Friday evening when anti-poaching officers, during their routine patrols along the park’s perimeter, discovered suspicious shoeprints indicating an illegal entry through the fence.

A total of 46 rhinos, including 35 black and 11 white rhinos, have been killed in the Etosha National Park by poachers so far in 2024, minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism Pohamba Shifeta has said. He made the announcement in the capital last week during the donation of 22 vehicles and information technology (IT) equipment, valued at N$19.8 million to the ministry by the Integrated Wildlife Protection Project. The donation was co-financed by the German state-owned KfW Development Bank.

Environment minister Pohamba Shifeta has revealed plans to submit a Cabinet proposal to allow Namibia to sell or dispose of its tonnes of ivory and rhino horn stockpiles. In May, five nations that make up the Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) trans-frontier conservation area: Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, and Angola jointly called for the lifting of a ban on ivory sales imposed by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Wildlife crime remains an international conservation management issue that threatens ecotourism, ecological balance and biodiversity. The industry of illegal hunting and trade in wildlife and wildlife products is estimated to be worth US$50-US$150 billion per annum, according to the United Nations Environment Programme, and continues to pose a threat towards globally-endangered wildlife species. The escalation of wildlife crime also threatens national and local economies, the criminal justice and security systems, and public health.

Namibia's recent success in returning a fugitive from South Africa to stand trial has underscored the importance of cooperating with Interpol to adhere to the complexities of the extradition process worldwide.  The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol)'s National Central Bureau (NCB) in Windhoek focusses its global police cooperation activities around Namibia's crime areas of concern, including wildlife crime (particularly stock theft), drug crime, money-laundering, firearms’ trafficking and human trafficking.  The Namibian Police (Nampol) uses its…

The ongoing drought that has its grip on most parts of Namibia has not spared wildlife either, the environment ministry says.  The drought is also severely impacting conservation efforts, but has not yet led to increased mortalities, reduction of wildlife numbers or any endangered species, environment ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda stated.  While responding to questions by New Era, revealed the scarcity of rainfall in the affected regions has resulted in a dire shortage of water and grazing resources for wildlife.

The government convened a stakeholder forum on wildlife protection and relevant law enforcement issues. This initiative comes in response to the increasing concerns highlighted by international financial institutions, which have listed environmental crimes, including wildlife crimes and money laundering, among the top threats in Namibia’s national risk assessment. The forum is also partly aimed at preventing Namibia from being grey-listed by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

The ownership of the Henties Bay Seal Products Factory is again being disputed after the company failed in its bid to reclaim 501 boxes of seized seal products The bid to reclaim the products was dismissed in the Katutura Magistrate's Court recently. Seal Products is harvesting and processing a seal quota in their Henties Bay and Lüderitz factories. The controversy began on 10 January when the Namibian Revenue Agency (NAMRA) conducted a coordinated intervention at a warehouse in Sun Industrial Park, Windhoek, shared by Seal Products and Golden Lion Investment CC.

Convicted poacher Derrick Brockerhoff appeared in the Swakopmund Magistrate's Court on Thursday after several warrants of arrest were updated and executed last week. The notorious poacher was arrested in the mountains behind the Eros Neighbourhood of Windhoek almost a month ago when he was caught red-handed with the carcasses of a gemsbok and a kudu.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has recorded 28 cases of rhino poaching in Namibia this year so far. Out of these 28 cases, 19 rhinos were poached in the Etosha National Park, and 10 carcasses of the animals were discovered during dehorning operations in March. The Ministry’s spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda, has expressed concern about the poaching situation in the Etosha National Park, which is a flagship tourist attraction in Namibia. The park has a high number of rhinos and other wildlife species.

Three members of the Namibian Defence Force (NDF) were apprehended on Friday, within the confines of Mangetti National Park. The arrests followed after park officials saw the perpetrators climbing over a fence during a routine anti-poaching patrol and fence inspection. The three soldiers were arrested while attempting to claim over the Mangetti Park’s boundary fence into the Mururani location, bearing bags laden with dried game meat ranging from Eland, Kudu and Wildebeest.

Between 2015 and February 2024, Namibia lost a staggering 631 rhinos due to poaching, marking a concerning downturn in its conservation success. This is according to statistics provided by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism last week during the Commemoration of World Wildlife Day 2024. Breaking down the figures year by year, statistics paint a grim picture of 97 rhinos poached in 2015 alone, with six reported to be poached in 2016 and five poached in 2017.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism has raised alarm over the serious threat facing pangolins in Namibia. According to Romeo Muyunda, the Ministry's spokesperson, there has been a notable increase in pangolin trafficking cases from September to November this year, leading to a significant concern for the survival of this species. Muyunda disclosed that during this period, authorities have confiscated a total of 18 pangolin skins, 12 live pangolins, and 146 pangolin scales. This has resulted in 23 registered cases and the apprehension of 38 suspects.

A recent case involving the arrest of a Tanzanian national and three Namibians has shed light on a disturbing trend of international poaching syndicates exploiting local communities in Namibia for illegal harvesting of endangered plant and animal species. This illicit trade is not only threatening the nation's unique plant species but also endangering the livelihoods of its people.

In an operation led by Members of the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism (MEFT), in collaboration with the Namibian Police (Nampol) and Namibian Defense Force (NDF), 24 elephant tusks were confiscated during an early morning interception on Friday in the Zambezi region.

The Windhoek Magistrate Court has handed down prison sentences of up to 15 years to four individuals involved in a heinous rhino poaching case. The culprits were found guilty for their involvement in a poaching incident dating back to December 2016, where four white rhinos were ruthlessly killed on a private farm in the Gobabis District. On 22 December 2016, the suspects allegedly, without a hunting permit, killed four white rhinos - two bulls and two pregnant cows - each valued at N$1.25 million, with a total value…

Namibia strengthened its anti-poaching drive by launching two rhino preservation plans and a horse patrol unit at the country's Etosha National Park on Friday. Speaking at the commemoration of World Rhino Day, which falls on 22 September every year, Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism Pohamba Shifeta said the day is dedicated to raising awareness of the threats facing the rhino population, and how the world can come together to protect these endangered species.

Otjiwarongo - A carcass of a female black rhino was discovered with a bullet wound in the stomach, on 18 August 2023 at a waterhole inside a game farm in the Grootfontein district of the Otjozondjupa region.

People that have settled in communities in various areas of the Etosha National Park, one of
Namibia's premier tourist attractions are decimating wildlife by using wire snares to kill animals for
food.

Oshikoto - The environment ministry has raised concern over the increase in cases, arrests, convictions and seizures relating to plants in Namibia. The ministry’s spokesperson Romeo Muyunda told Nampa last week that plants provide the broad primary production layer for healthy environments, but their vital function is often overlooked. He said seizures of plant products have been significant, considering that these related to 22 arrests in 2022.

An adult male was on Friday arrested by the Namibian police after he was found to be transporting game meat (a hippopotamus carcass) at Katere village in the Ndiyona constituency, Kavango East region. The suspect is due to face charges of illegal transportation and possession of game meat.

An Otjozondjupa police intelligence-led operation caused the successful arrest of a soldier and farm worker, who were separately caught red-handed with controlled wildlife products worth a combined amount of almost N$200 000. At Grootfontein's Build Together location, police shared that a 49-year-old female member of the Namibia Defence Force (NDF) was on Sunday caught with a live pangolin, worth N$50 000. The suspect is a corporal officer in the army, stationed at the Grootfontein Military Base.

Self-proclaimed prophet and founder of the House of Joy Ministries Jackson Babi has turned to the High Court to appeal his 27 years imprisonment sentence for rhino poaching in Gobabis. In his notice of appeal, filed in the Windhoek High Court on Monday, Babi (33) is claiming the sentence of 27 years imprisonment imposed on him by Gobabis Regional Court magistrate Eden Iyambo is shockingly inappropriate. He claims Iyambo overemphasised the seriousness of the offences at the expense of the mitigating circumstances.

"There are conservation policies in the Ministry that deal with those illegal actions of poaching. Rhinos are protected by the Controlled Wildlife Products and Trade Act Nine (9) of 2008, which still contains penalties widely viewed as being woefully inadequate in light of the value of the illegal trade in animal products such as elephant tusks, rhino horn and pangolin scales", Muyunda stressed.

Police in Zambezi region are investigating a case of hunting of specially protected game and theft of elephant tusks after a decomposed elephant was discovered. It is alleged that unknown suspect(s) poached and killed an elephant, and removed its tusks between 16 to 22 April 2023 near Dzudzo farming area in Dzoti conservancy of Zambezi region. "A decomposed carcass was recovered at Dzudzo area on Friday, 28 April 2023 and it seemed to have been killed two weeks back from the date of recovery. The elephant is valued at N$29 000," the police said no arrest has been made yet.

The Ministry of Environment Tourism and Forestry has arrested eight suspects on charges related to rhino poaching over the Easter long weekend, in two separate incidents. "Last week two suspects that illegally entered the Etosha National Park to hunt Rhinos were arrested during a mobile roadblock on the Tsumeb and Otavi road, two fresh rhino horns were found in their possession and confiscated by Blue Rhino Task Team," the environment Ministry's Chief Public Relations Officer, Romeo Muyunda said in a statement.

An intelligence-driven operation earlier this week led to the arrest in the Oshikoto Region of two residents of Windhoek who stand accused of trading in controlled wildlife products. According to a report about the arrest, provided by the commander of the Namibian Police in Oshikoto Region, Commissioner Teopoline Kalompo-Nashikaku, information received by investigators suggested that the two suspects were on their way to the south after completing a transaction where they were seen selling a pangolin skin.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism yesterday said they responded to a report about a Hippo that was found dead in the Muyako area, in a purported poaching incident. The Ministry's Spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said that upon close inspection by staff members, it was found that the hippo had a bullet wound, adding that it was poached the previous night. "When the team arrived, community members had already gathered in anticipation for the meat distribution exercise.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has identified its employee Otto Jan Uirab as the suspect in the poaching incident that occurred last week. He is charged alongside Nedbank employee, Harold Xarageb, and two other suspects Gaeb Franklin and Veldskoendraer Neely. The suspects were arrested on suspicion of illegally hunting a blue wildebeest in the Dan Viljoen Park near Windhoek last week. They have since appeared in the Katutura Magistrate’s court. A case has been opened with the Otjomuise Police station and the suspects were remanded in custody until the May 2023…

An environment and tourism official was arrested with three other men for illegally hunting a protected blue wildebeest in the Daan Viljoen game park, west of Windhoek. They were arrested on Tuesday at the roadblock, west of Windhoek, leading to the game park. The suspects, including the official in uniform, were nabbed with a whole carcass of the wildebeest in the boot of their sedan. Blue wildebeest are classified as protected and endangered species in Namibia. The official is said to be stationed at the park as an assistant game ranger for the environment ministry.

An official from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism was amongst three other suspects that were arrested on suspicion of illegally hunting a blue wildebeest in Dan Viljoen Park near Windhoek. "The incident happened on Tuesday at a roadblock between Dan Viljoen and Windhoek. The Ministry condemns the incident particularly, the alleged involvement of a staff member," said the ministry’s spokesperson Romeo Muyunda. They were arrested on Tuesday at the roadblock, west of Windhoek, leading to the game park.

The environment and tourism ministry has said rhino poaching remains a serious concern with 87 rhinos poached in 2022, consisting of 61 black rhinos and 26 white rhinos. The ministry’s spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda, yesterday said the 2022 poaching cases include 15 rhinos poached on rhino custodianship farms, another 25 on white rhino private farms and a majority of 46 were killed in the Etosha National Park.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism today said that 80 rhinos were poached last year, while elephant poaching has significantly decreased over the last eight years, dropping from 101 in 2015 to four in 2022, however, the same cannot be said for rhino poaching, which remains a concern with over 80 cases reported in the last year.

A suspect in a poaching case was gunned down by police officers on Saturday after three men allegedly hunted down a rhinoceros at farm Okarakua in the Windhoek district. One man, aged 27, was arrested, while a third suspect is still at large. Subsequently, a murder case was opened against the anti-poaching unit officers.

The Namibian Police in Mukwe constituency in the Kavango East region on Friday arrested a 31-year-old man after he was found in possession of controlled wildlife products - two elephant tusks. The suspect, who is now due for court, was arrested at buffalo checkpoint in the Mukwe constituency during a police special operation on Friday afternoon at around 19h00. The suspect will appear in the Rundu Magistrate’s Court on Monday, 16 January.

The environment and tourism ministry says even though it continues to record successes in its fight against wildlife crime, poaching of highly valued species remains a concern. Ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda over the weekend said 63 rhinos have been poached in the country this year alone. This includes 41 black rhinos and 22 white rhinos. This year’s poaching cases include 15 rhinos poached on custodianship farms, another 22 on private farms and 26 in the Etosha National Park.

At least 22 men appeared in court last week for various wildlife crimes they have committed. This is according to the weekly wildlife crime statistics by the Namibian Police Intelligence and Investigation Unit and the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism(MEFT). In the most recent wildlife case, Nampol arrested three Namibian men in line with new cases for possession of skins of specifically protected and protected game. "For all the cases registered the arrests and/or seizures were made by a combination of law enforcement agencies NamPol, MEFT, NDF, BRTT and private APU…

The police in the Khomas region are investigating three cases of murder in which three male persons aged between 24 and 30 were shot dead on Sunday and yesterday. According to the brief reports shared by the police regional community affairs Silas Shipandeni, the police are investigating the matter in which two suspected poachers were shot at Farm Hoffnung No 66, in the Windhoek District on Sunday around 17h00. Shipandeni indicated that an unknown man was fatally wounded and died on the spot while the other one was injured on the left thigh.

Prosecutor general Martha Imalwa has responded to articles published in the New Era and The Namibian about the trial of a Chinese businessman, Hou Xue Cheng, and his Namibian co-accused Hamutenja Hamutenya, whose cases were struck from the court roll recently. The reason the charges on dealing in controlled wildlife products were dismissed was that neither the witnesses nor the docket was before the court. According to the PG, the information contained in the articles was incorrect.

Regional Court Magistrate Leopoldt Hangalo yesterday struck the case of a Chinese businessman, Hou Xue Cheng and his Namibian co-accused Hamutenja Hamutenya on a count of dealing in controlled wildlife products, from the court roll. The reason was that no docket nor witnesses were before the court. The magistrate said the matter has been coming from 2014, and the State failed to get their affairs in order for it to start. He cancelled the bail of N$100 000 for Cheng and N$5 000 for Hamutenya, and ordered it to be refunded to the depositors.