This archive of published media articles about wildlife crime in Namibia aims to:
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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Vietnam has seized 11.8 kilograms of rhino horns and 4.7 kilograms of elephant ivory in checked-in luggage on a flight from Qatar, Vietnam News Agency reported on Thursday. Customs officers at Noi Bai international airport in Vietnam’s capital of Hanoi found the smuggled rhino horns and ivory in 41 packages wrapped in aluminum foil in two sets of luggage of a Vietnamese man who had traveled from Angola, transited through Doha, Qatar, and arrived in Vietnam on Tuesday. The seizure came after a random check, and the luggage owner claimed that a person had paid him 50…
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VIETNAM_2023_04_Vietnam seizes 16 kg of smuggled rhino horns_ivory_Journal of African Elephants.pdf | 193.09 KB |
At least five elephants were shot and stripped of their tusks in early April 2023 in southern Chad. Shocked by this wildlife crime, the organisation SOS Elephants of Chad is calling on the government to act firmly against the resurgence of poaching of Chad’s endangered elephants.
The functional forces have just discovered a package containing 11.82 kg of rhino horn and 4,712 kg of smuggled ivory transported on a flight from Doha (Quatar) to Vietnam. When scanning the above 02 pieces of luggage through a portable scanner, the Import Baggage Procedure Team discovered suspicious images of rhino horns and ivory, so they invited Ninh Ba Dien passenger to the headquarters. for fact check. According to the inspection results, in addition to his carry-on luggage, Mr.
The Quatro de Fevereiro International Airport, Angola's capital city Luanda, has recently been the gateway for many disguised tourists, with the clear intention of illicit trafficking of ivory and rhino horn. In the last three months alone, the Criminal Investigation Service (SIC), coordinating with other forces in the airport's security system, detained two Vietnamese citizens in possession of 26 kilograms of ivory worked into jewellery; four kilograms of raw ivory; rhino horns, weighing 6.6 kilograms; and five rolls of elephant tail yarn, weighing eight grams.
Die Strafverfolgungsbehörden in Namibia, Mosambik und Sambia werden immer aufmerksamer, wenn es um den illegalen Schmuggel von u. a. Abalonen (Meeresschnecken) durch ihre Länder geht. Denn es mehren sich die Hinweise, dass dieselben Unternehmen und Personen, die in diesen Schmuggel verwickelt sind, auch an der Ausfuhr anderer illegaler Wildprodukte und weiteren illegalen Aktivitäten beteiligt sind. Demnach scheinen verschiedene Formen der Kriminalität mit dem illegalen Handel von Wildtieren zusammenzuhängen.
Four individuals involved in the illegal trafficking of four ivory tips were arrested on April 5 and 6, 2023 in Makokou, a town in northeastern Gabon. The elephant population in Gabon remains threatened despite regular ivory seizures by Water and Forestry agents. This observation has led civil society to explore actions upstream of the ivory trade process. In Gabon, efforts to fight crime related to protected wildlife species have just resulted in new arrests.
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GAB_2023_04_Four suspected ivory traffickers arrested in Makokou_Journal of African Elephants.pdf | 230.77 KB |
Poachers have killed at least five elephants in the Sahel state of Chad, stoking fears for the country's surviving animals, an NGO said Tuesday. The elephants were found slaughtered in the Beinamar area, about 400 kilometers (250 miles) south of the capital N'Djamena, Adam Ahmat Assane, secretary of SOS Elephants, told AFP.
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CHA_2023_04_Poachers kill five elephants in Chad_phys_org.pdf | 172.97 KB |
Wetstoepassers in Namibië, asook in Mosambiek en Zambië begin al hoe meer let op die onwettige smokkelary van onder meer perlemoen deur hul lande. Dit omdat daar groeiende bewyse is dat dieselfde maatskappye en individue wat betrokke is in dié smokkelary, ook betrokke is in die uitvoer van onwettige wildprodukte en ander onwettige bedrywighede. Inteendeel, groeiende bewyse dui op 'n samevloeiing van ander vorme van misdaad met onwettige handel in wildprodukte.
As the world returns to post-covid normality, so do its trade routes and the unfortunate consequence of increased wildlife trafficking, experts say.
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WORLD_2023_04_Wildlife trafficking could return to pre_pandemic numbers_Getaway.pdf | 449.22 KB |
Bulk shipments by sea accounted for most of the illegal wildlife parts seized by authorities around the world in 2022. The data, from U.S.-based nonprofit C4ADS, also show that seizures of elephant ivory, rhino horn and pangolin scales haven’t yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. However, the decline isn’t uniform across all countries, with China's late reopening from the pandemic this year indicating there might be an increase in trafficking in 2023, especially of ivory. C4ADS has called on law enforcement officials to focus on investigating…
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WORLD_2023_03_Wildlife trafficking gradually returns after pandemic lull_mostly by sea_Mongaby.pdf | 868.66 KB |
Police have arrested two Hwange men for unlawful possession of ivory. In a statement on twitter police wrote: "On 30/03/23, Police in Hwange acted on a tip-off and arrested Cephas Charumbira (40) and Dickson Munkombwa (45) for a case of unlawful possession of raw unmarked ivory without a permit. Detectives recovered four pieces of elephantivory measuring approximately 2x75cm, 1x15cm, and 1x10cm from the suspects."
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ZIM_2023_03_Two arrested for ivory possession_The Chronicle.pdf | 239.47 KB |
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.
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NAM_2020-08_Zambian nabbed for ivory_pangolin scales_The Namibian.pdf | 716.9 KB |
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.
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NAM_2020-08_Officials get teeth to identify trafficked ivory_Namibian Sun.pdf | 212.21 KB |
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.
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ZIM_2020-08_Three In Court After Found In Possession Of US11 395 Ivory_New Zimbabwe.pdf | 360.17 KB |
Zambia is exploring the possibility of domestically selling its US$100 million ivory stockpile.
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ZAM_2020-08_Zambia wants to sell US100m ivory_TheSouthernTimes.pdf | 331.59 KB |
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.
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ZIM_2020-08_Elephant poachers Zimbabwe_Journal of African Elephants.pdf | 2 MB |
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.
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NAM_2020-08_Elephant pangolin crimes still highest_The Namibian.pdf | 658.83 KB |
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BotswanaUnplugged_2020-08_Five countries unite against wildlife crime_BotswanaUnplugged.pdf | 1.99 MB |
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.
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NAM_2020-08_Twee met ivoor velle vasgetrek_Republikein.pdf | 223.19 KB |
NAM_2020-08_Two arrested with ivory_skins_republikein_Eng.pdf | 222.92 KB |
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.
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NAM_2020-08_ Rhino poaching falls by more than 60 percent_News_Al Jazeera.pdf | 191.34 KB |
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.
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SA_2020-08_Elephant tusk South Africa_Journal of African Elephants.pdf | 100.49 KB |
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.
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NAM_2020-08_NAD5_5m for wildlife protection_Namibian Sun.pdf | 405.54 KB |
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.
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NAM_2020_08_17 rhinos and two elephants poached since January_Namibia Economist.pdf | 754.44 KB |
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.
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NAM_2020-08_Namibie tweede beste in wildbewaring_Republikein.pdf | 317.31 KB |
NAM_2020-08_Namibia second best in wildlife conservation_Republikein_Eng.pdf | 316.39 KB |
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.
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NAM_2020-08_Namibia loses 17 rhinos 2 elephants to poaching since January_CGTN Africa.pdf | 215.75 KB |
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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BOT_2020-08_Botswana anti_poaching unit returns to arms_Sunday Standard.pdf | 693.41 KB |