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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 - 28 of 28
Monday, 31 May 2021
2021. Kruger Park elephant poachers jailed by Limpopo court.

The National Prosecuting Authority has welcomed the sentences handed to two Mozambique nationals found guilty for poaching related offences by the Malamulele Regional Court. Enock Sibanda(31) and Eckson Shirinda (28) were arrested by Kruger National Park rangers on 14 November 2018 and were each sentenced to eight year’s imprisonment, said Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, the Regional Spokesperson of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Limpopo.

Sunday, 30 May 2021
2021. Elephant tusk seized from two suspected dealers at Gam.

A freshly removed elephant tusk was on Saturday night seized from two men who allegedly tried to sell it to an undercover police officer at Gam settlement in the Tsumkwe Constituency.

Friday, 28 May 2021
Dembedza P 2021. Pair in court for possessing ivory.

Two Harare man have appeared in court after they were caught in possession of 22,88 kilogrammes of ivory worth $326 726 without a licence.

Thursday, 27 May 2021
Ocharo B 2021. Kenya: Nine Kenyan suspects linked to notorious Liberian ivory smuggler.

New evidence supplied by the US government links two Kenyans implicated in Sh570 million ivory smuggling to notorious Liberian poacher and ivory trafficker Moazu Kromar. Documents filed in a Mombasa court claim Kenyan businessman Abdulrahman Mahmoud Sheikh alias Said Juma Said and his son Sheikh Mahmoud Abdulrahman received instructions from Mr Kromar to facilitate ivory smuggling. The Liberian poacher was extradited to the US in 2019, where he is facing ivory-trafficking charges. Mr Mahmoud, his son and six other Kenyans are facing ivory smuggling charges in Mombasa.

Wednesday, 26 May 2021
2021. Angola: Vietnamese national arrested with 20 kg of ivory.

The National Police in Huila arrested last weekend a Vietnamese national suspected of trafficking ivory, having been caught with 20 kilograms of the prohibited trade product. He was arrested at the Chibemba police post, in Gambos municipality, when he was trying to cross the border post and enter Huila province, from Cunene where he works.

Tuesday, 18 May 2021
2021. DR Congo - Chinese man in possession of ivory arrested at Kinshasa airport.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a Chinese national was apprehended at N’djili airport in Kinshasa in possession of ivory. As he was preparing to leave Congolese territory on a flight, a Chinese national named Huang was arrested after the discovery of a large quantity of ivory concealed in a milk box.

Saturday, 15 May 2021
Nombembe P 2021. Hawks swoop on man 'transporting elephant tusks' in Cape Town.

The Hawks have arrested a suspect for possession of ivory in Cape Town. Hawks spokesperson Zinzi Hani said detectives responded to a tipoff and bust the suspect on Friday in the suburb of Table View. Hani said the Hawks had teamed up with the department of agriculture, forestry and fisheries officials.

Wednesday, 12 May 2021
2021. Kenya: Ugandan official arrested with ivory worth Kshs.3M in Busia.

Police in Busia have arrested a Senior Security Officer from Uganda in possession of three pieces of animal trophies worth Kshs 3 million street value. Kennedy Wabwire, was arrested on Friday at around 2.00 pm through a tip off from members of the public. "We got information that some Ugandan Nationals were on a mission to traffic ivory into Kenya with the aim of selling," said Busia DCIO, Benard Wamalwa.

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.

Tuesday, 11 May 2021
2021. Angola - police arrest poachers including a police inspector at Bicuar NP.

The Angolan police arrested seven poachers, including an inspector, in the Bicuar National Park, in Huíla province, who were mainly hunting elephants for the sale of ivory.

Tuesday, 4 May 2021
Head T 2021. Gauteng man busted for possession of 'two elephant tusks'.

The suspected ivory smuggler from Alberton is facing the full might of the law this week, after two elephant tusks were found in his possession.

Tuesday, 4 May 2021
2021. Mozambique - five detained for possession of ivory, lion teeth, leopard skin and pangolin skeleton.

Five Mozambican citizens were detained by the National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) in Tete city and Chitima, a village in Cahora-Bassa district, on Monday, having being found in possession of 11 elephant tusks, lions’ teeth, a leopard skin and a pangolin skeleton.

Tuesday, 25 August 2020
Kooper L 2020. Zambian nabbed for ivory, pangolin scales.

A twenty-year-old Zambian man was arrested on Sunday in the Zambezi region after he was found in possession of one elephant tusk and 81 pangolin scales.

Tuesday, 18 August 2020
Smit E 2020. Officials get 'teeth' to identify trafficked ivory.

A comprehensive new guide has been published to assist law enforcement agencies to identify trafficked ivory. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites) secretariat, TRAFFIC and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) have published the Identification Guide for Ivory and Ivory Substitutes. It is a comprehensive and accessible resource for identifying the most commonly found ivories and artificial substitutes used for trade.

Friday, 14 August 2020
2020. Three in court after found in possession of US$11 395 ivory.

Three men suspected to be part of a poaching syndicate that has been illegally hunting elephants for their ivory at the Hwange National Park and Binga district both in Matabeleland North have been arrested after being found in possession of ivory worth US$11 395. Enos Mudenda (35) of Mankonkole village under Chief Saba in Binga, Joseph Ngwenya (32) of Siantele village in Chief Shana area in Hwange and Mark Sibanda (38) of Bulawayo’s Mahatshula suburb appeared before Hwange magistrate Sekai Chiwundura to answer to a charge of illegal possession of elephant ivory.

Friday, 14 August 2020
Kapembwa F 2020. Zambia wants to sell US$100m ivory.

Zambia is exploring the possibility of domestically selling its US$100 million ivory stockpile.

Thursday, 13 August 2020
Minutaglio R 2020. This all-female army protects elephants from poachers in Zimbabwe.

In Zimbabwe, where an estimated 85,000 elephants live, the fight to save vulnerable species isn’t just a full-time job-it's a lifeline. Among Zimbabwe's most dedicated anti-poachers are the Akashinga women, a radical all-female unit that patrols five former trophy hunting reserves for illegal activity. The highly-trained, quasi-military troop is an arm of the nonprofit International Anti-Poaching Foundation.

Thursday, 13 August 2020
Shikongo A 2020. Elephant, pangolin crimes still highest.

More than half of 363 suspects arrested for animal poaching or trafficking in 2020 were apprehended for crimes involving high-value animal species. This includes rhino, elephant and pangolin, according to the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism.

Wednesday, 12 August 2020
2020. Five countries unite against wildlife crime. The five Partner States of the Kavango Zambezi (KAZA) Transfrontier Conservation Area (TFCA) - Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe - have joined forces to defend their borders against those who seek to deprive the region of its natural beauty and resources.
Tuesday, 11 August 2020
2020. Twee met ivoor, velle vasgetrek.

Twee vermeende wildmisdadigers, mnr. Gabriel Kuutondokwa Nalitje en David Simon, is verlede Maandag in Windhoek glo met drie stukke ivoor en een elk luiperd- en ietermagôvel vasgetrek.

Two suspected wildlife criminals, Mr. Gabriel Kuutondokwa Nalitje and David Simon, were allegedly caught last Monday in Windhoek with three pieces of ivory and one each leopard and pangolin skin.

Saturday, 8 August 2020
2020. Namibia: Rhino poaching falls by more than 60 percent.

Windhoek says intensified intelligence operations by authorities and tougher sentences for poachers led to the drop. Rhino poaching fell 63 percent year-on-year in Namibia, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism has said citing intensified intelligence operations by authorities and tougher sentences and fines for poachers. Elephant poaching, which occurs to a lesser extent, also decreased with two incidents reported this year compared with 13 in 2019, the ministry said.

Saturday, 8 August 2020
2020. Zimbabweans arrested on suspicion of selling ivory.

Three Zimbabwean nationals were on Thursday remanded in custody after they were arrested by the the Hawks in Johannesburg while allegedly selling an elephant tusk.

Friday, 7 August 2020
2020. Trio who tried to sell an elephant tusk arrested (South Africa).
Thursday, 6 August 2020
Smit E 2020. N$5.5m for wildlife protection.

The Game Product Trust Fund (GPTF) has become increasingly important in protecting wildlife due to a lack of funding from government. The GPTF has committed funding of more than N$5.58 million to several activities in the environment and tourism sector during the 2018/19 financial year. This information is contained in the Environmental Investment Fund (EIF) of Namibia 2018/19 annual report that has just been made public. "The GPTF's role has become more important than ever. It has stepped in and filled the void that has been left by a lack of funding from the government.

Wednesday, 5 August 2020
2020. 17 rhinos and two elephants poached since January.

The country has been robbed of 17 rhinos and two elephants through poaching activities since the January, the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism said this week.

Tuesday, 4 August 2020
Matengo D 2020. Namibia loses 17 rhinos, 2 elephants to poaching since January.

Namibia has lost 17 rhinos and two elephants to poaching since the beginning of the year, the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism said Tuesday.

Tuesday, 4 August 2020
Steynberg F 2020. Namibië tweede beste in wildbewaring.

Namibië is as die tweede beste land in wildbewaring op die Megafauna Conservation Index (MCI) aangewys. Buurland Botswana is as die wenner uit 152 lande gekroon.

Namibia was named the second best country in wildlife conservation on the Megafauna Conservation Index (MCI). Neighboring Botswana was crowned the winner from 152 countries.

Monday, 3 August 2020
Baatweng V 2020. Botswana anti-poaching unit returns to arms.

Two years after making international headlines by disarming its anti-poaching unit, Botswana is preparing
to give game rangers back their guns. Information from the government enclave suggest that the Attorney General chambers is already drafting a new piece of legislation that will facilitate re-arming of the anti-poaching unit.

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