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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.

Explore your search results using the filter checkboxes, or amend your search or start a new search.

Displaying results 1 - 25 of 25
Wednesday, 8 October 2025
2025. South Africa: Tragic news from the Eastern Cape.

A pregnant rhino has been shot dead and dehorned by poachers on a game reserve near Alexandria. The incident comes as a gruesome reminder of the rhino poaching scourge, which has been relatively quiet in the Eastern Cape in the past six months but continues to threaten the survival of the species. We will update with more information once it becomes available. The only info circulating at the moment is currently behind a pay wall, which we don't have access to.

Friday, 3 October 2025
2025. Live pangolin saved from the illegal trade.

South Africa: Great team work guys. Live pangolin saved from the illegal trade - disgraceful that 2 cops were among the suspects arrested! In an intelligence driven operation yesterday, 4 suspects were arrested at Makro Wonderboom, Pretoria, 2 were SAPS police officers, 2 x 9mm pistols retrieved. Outstanding work from SAPS Cullinan stock theft and Endangered species, SAPS Silverton K9 and support from US Homeland Security

Thursday, 11 September 2025
2025. 2 traffickers arrested with 32kg ivory.

EAGLE Côte d'Ivoire - 2 traffickers arrested with 32kg ivory. The ivory, concealed in a rice sack, was trafficked from Liberia. The Burkina Faso National trafficker denounced the other for being a known big ivory trafficker.

Sunday, 20 July 2025
2025. Zimbabwe Police has arrested one Cong Yanzhong.

Zimbabwe Police has arrested one Cong Yanzhong from China for possession of 3 rhino horns worth US$240 000 and 4 pieces of raw ivory weighing 36kgs . The Chinese national appeared in court and was remanded in custody to 22 July 2025 for trial.

Wednesday, 9 July 2025
2025. Hardship and progress for elephant conservation, new report shows.

In its 2024 annual report, the Elephant-Human Relations Aid (EHRA) organisation says last year was marked by both hardship and meaningful progress in desert-adapted elephant conservation. "It was a year of learning and growth that reinforced our motivation to create lasting impact for elephants and communities we work with,” EHRA's managing director, Rachel Harris, notes in the foreword of the report. She added that the prolonged drought brought new challenges for EHRA: "In response to the drought, the government announced a controversial wildlife cull.

Thursday, 3 July 2025
2025. As of July 3, 2025, the trial of former Kruger National Park (KNP) regional ranger Rodney Landela and his co-accused, Kenneth Motshotsho, continues in the Skukuza Regional Court.
As of July 3, 2025, the trial of former Kruger National Park (KNP) regional ranger Rodney Landela and his co-accused, Kenneth Motshotsho, continues in the Skukuza Regional Court. The two face multiple charges related to the poaching of a white rhino in the Kingfisherspruit area in 2016.
Tuesday, 24 June 2025
Smit E 2025. Average of 22 lions killed in Etosha area per year.

There were 698 lions killed by humans between 1980 and 2018 in the areas surrounding Etosha National Park - an average of 22 lions per year, although researchers say this number is likely an underestimate. A new study found there was no single reason behind the killings.

Tuesday, 25 March 2025
2025. Luanda_AGT stops more than 500 pieces made of rhinoceros horn and ivory at the airport, which were destined for Vietnam.

The General Tax Administration (AGT) seized more than 500 pieces of rhinoceros horns and elephant teeth at the 4 de Fevereiro International Airport in Luanda, camouflaged inside three suitcases that were bound for Vietnam.

Tuesday, 25 March 2025
2025. Vietnamese engineers arrested on charges of criminal association,environmental assault and ivory trafficking.

According to the director of the institutional communication and press office of the general directorate of SIC, Manuel Halaiwa, the goods were on the construction site of a construction company, in the municipality of Camama. Two Vietnamese men, aged 36 and 43, both construction engineers, were arrested at the scene, indicted for the crimes of criminal association and environmental aggression.

Tuesday, 2 July 2024
Smit E 2024. Empowering data-driven rangers.

Rangers from across the southern African region, including Namibia, have established a new community of practice for monitoring and reporting on elephant mortality. Accurate and consistent data on elephant deaths is crucial for understanding and effectively addressing the threats faced by 'nature's gardeners', which include human-elephant conflict, habitat loss and the illegal killing for ivory. Reliable data allows for informed decision-making and effective conservation measures to ensure the long-term survival of African elephants in their natural habitats.

Tuesday, 2 July 2024
Smit E 2024. Rhino Protection Unit in the lap of luxury.

The Rhino Sanctuary Namibia, located about 60km from Windhoek will officially open its doors this September. Although they have already had guests at the lodge to experience the magnificent surroundings and to pay a visit to the white rhinos roaming the area, they are still busy with some final touches. Manager Stefanus Prinsloo explained that the idea for Rhino Sanctuary Namibia came from the lodge owner, Tom Kjær who wanted to assist in protecting the rhinos against increasing poaching in Namibia.

Tuesday, 4 June 2024
Smit E 2024. Namibia threatens to withdraw CITES membership.

Environment and tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta has come out strongly against CITES' decision to ban ivory from being sold on international markets. In an interview with New Era on the sidelines of the just-ended KAZA summit in Livingstone, he said if the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) refuses member states to sell off ivory stockpiles, they will withdraw their membership. "If CITES refuses, we have some alternatives and plans. We can go for arbitration.

Monday, 3 June 2024
Smit E 2024. Cargo-trucks confiscated over illegal wood.

In early May, the environment ministry's forestry directorate raided farms in the Kunene Region where protected mopane trees are being harvested and exported for charcoal and firewood. Trucks carrying loads of wood and charcoal - without permits to do so - have already been seized, the directorate confirmed. An outraged charcoal producer in the Outjo district, who preferred to remain anonymous, claimed a forestry official threatened him and demanded a bribe from him to not stop his charcoal business.

Tuesday, 21 November 2023
2023. Tribunal vietnamita condena homem de 36 anos a 12 anos de cadeia por tráfico de chifres de rinoceronte em Angola.

Vietnamese court sentences 36-year-old man to 12 years in prison for drug trafficking rhino horns in Angola.

Tuesday, 21 March 2023
2023. Luanda: SIC detém caçador furtivo que se instalou no Parque Nacional da Quissama e vivia da venda dos animais que abatia.

O Serviço de Investigação Criminal deteve um caçador furtivo que se tinha instalado no Parque Nacional da Quissama e abatia animais como elefantes e gazelas, que depois comercializava no mercado informal da Mutamba, em Luanda.

Luanda: SIC detains poachers who settled in the Quissama National Park and lived off the sale of the animals they slaughtered The Criminal Investigation Service detained a poacher who had settled in the Quissama National Park and killed animals such as elephants and gazelles, which he then sold at the informal market of Mutamba, in Luanda.

Thursday, 16 February 2023
2023. Vietnamese arrested at 4 de Fevereiro Airport for trafficking ivory concealed in candy wrappers.

A 35-year-old Vietnamese citizen was arrested at Luanda International Airport, accused of trafficking 3.6 kilograms of ivory, concealed in candy wrappers.

Detido vietnamita no Aeroporto 4 de Fevereiro por tráfico de marfim dissimulado em embalagens de rebuçados Um cidadão vietnamita, de 35 anos, foi detido no Aeroporto Internacional de Luanda, acusado de traficar 3,6 quilogramas de marfim, dissimulados em embalagens de rebuçados.

Saturday, 3 December 2022
Fukiady T 2022. Illegal hunting in Quiçama is spurred on by traffickers with financial power.

Quiçama Park administrator denounces that individuals with money have "encouraged" poachers. Lack of personnel and transport cited as a reason for poor enforcement. Park has just over 100 staff, but needs at least 600. In 2021, the Government presented a project to stop poaching in the country.

Thursday, 28 October 2021
2021. PN detained two men with 10 rhino horns that they intended to sell for 4 million Kz - It was necessary to kill 10 animals at serious risk of extinction to obtain them.

The Criminal Offenses Investigation Directorate (DIIP) detained in flagrante two nationals in possession of 10 rhinoceros horns that would be sold for four million Kwanzas, in the Nambambi neighborhood, on the outskirts of the city of Lubango, Huíla province, this Thursday said. fair to the police.

Tuesday, 11 May 2021
2021. Huíla: SIC detained seven poachers for slaughtering elephants in Bicuar National Park for ivory trafficking.

The Criminal Investigation Service (SIC) detained seven poachers in the Bicuar National Park, in Huíla, who were hunting, mainly for elephants, to later sell the ivory. Among the detainees is a park inspector.

Wednesday, 14 April 2021
2021. Namibia: Angolans arrested for illegal killing of a giraffe.

Two Angolan citizens, aged 22 and 39, were arrested, together with a 69-year-old Namibian, in the Namibian region of Omusati for the illegal killing of a giraffe.

Wednesday, 31 March 2021
2021. Bengo: 50-year-old man arrested for ivory trafficking and elephant slaughter.

The Criminal Investigation Service (SIC) detained a national citizen for allegedly slaughtering elephants and selling ivory, in the municipality of Dembos, Bengo province, the director of the institutional communication and press office of the SIC-general, informed the Novo Jornal. of criminal investigation Manuel Halaiwa.

Tuesday, 3 November 2020
2020. Support for SRT.

The Bank of Namibia (BoN) joined the fight to preserve Namibian rhinos by supporting the Save the Rhino Trust (SRT) Namibia through a donation of N$480 000.

Wednesday, 5 August 2020
2020. Quick work saves pangolin.

During a first of its kind cooperation between US Law Enforcement and the Namibian Police (Nampol), four suspected pangolin traffickers were arrested in Namibia on 21 July. Time-sensitive information received by the Homeland Security Investigations office in Pretoria relating to an imminent dealing by criminals in the illegal sale of a live pangolin was passed to the US Embassy Windhoek's Regional Security Officer, which was shared with Nampol. Based on the information, the Blue Rhino Task Team was able to successfully arrest four suspects.

Wednesday, 22 July 2020
2020. Windhoek game park under threat.

The Daan Viljoen game park is under constant threat from communities living in the informal settlements of Windhoek who enter the park illegally for poaching. Daan Viljoen is situated 25km west of Windhoek and informal settlements such as Agste Laan and Goreangab are situated near the game park. Khomas Governor Laura McLeod-Katjirua, made this statement during the State of the Region Address (SoRA) on Tuesday.

Wednesday, 22 July 2020
2020. Securing a poaching scene - the right way.

What should a farmer, lodge manager, landowner or a farm worker do when he stumbles across a poaching scene? Participants of the Animal Crime Scene and Evidence Handling Course received detailed answers to this question while gaining insight into the complexity of gathering evidence. During the course, participants were reminded that they are neither police officers nor experts in collecting evidence.

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