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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The Itezhi -Tezhi Magistrates' Court in Southern Province has convicted and slapped a five year jail sentence with hard labour on a 51-year-old man for being found in possession of Ivory. Particulars were Shamazongo on 15th September 2023, in Itezhi -Tezhi had in his possession a prescribed trophy namely 10.4 kilograms of Ivory without a certificate of authority from the Director General of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife.
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ZAM_2023_09_Man jailed five years for unlawful possession of Ivory_Lusaka Times.pdf | 298.84 KB |
Vietnamese syndicates play an outsized, sophisticated role in the illicit trade of elephant ivory, rhinoceros horn, pangolin scales, and other wildlife products, according to a recent undercover investigation by the Environmental Investigation Agency that details sourcing, packing, and transporting ivory and rhino horn through an intricate maze of transport routes out of various African ports to Malaysia, then through Laos, and finally overland into Vietnam. The numbers are staggering.
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AFR_2023_09_Vietnamese Syndicates Wiping out African Megafauna_Asia Sentinel.pdf | 374.59 KB |
Pangolin poaching for enhanced sexual pleasure on the increase. The Commander of Botswana Defence Force, Lieutenant General Placid Segokgo, has warned that poaching will continue to be part of our lives for as long as some countries in Asia cling to their beliefs that some organs of wild animals give them sexual powers. Addressing journalists at a recent press briefing, Segokgo said, “There are some people in the East who believe that consuming or applying samples of organs such as horns, teeth, or even skins enhance their sexual…
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BOT_2023_09_Illegal wildlife trade fuels poaching_Segokgo_TheVoiceBW.pdf | 245.59 KB |
A male elephant was shot eight times during a trophy hunt before eventually succumbing to its injuries on 3 September 2023. Humane Society International is now looking at the legal options it can pursue. The animal welfare group said the issuing of the permit by Limpopo to hunt the animal was unlawful because of an court interdict in place. "The elephant suffered through eight gunshots over an extended period of time before finally succumbing to his injuries.
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SA_2023_09_Elephant shot eight times during unlawful hunt at Limpopo game reserve_The Citizen.pdf | 415.74 KB |
Authorities in Gabon have dismantled a broad network of international ivory traffickers who smuggled ivory from Gabon to Cameroon and onto lucrative Asian markets. The operation involved the Gabonese judicial police and government directorates of forestry and wildlife, with the support of the NGO Conservation Justice.
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GAB_2023_09_Gabon makes major poaching arrests_Freight News.pdf | 196.97 KB |
Two accused persons have appeared in court following their arrest by detectives for allegedly trying to unlawfully dispose off an elephant hide for US$1,500.
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ZIM_2023_09_Pair busted selling elephant skin for USD1 500_New Zimbabwe.pdf | 294.55 KB |
The Hawks' Serious Organised Crime Johannesburg and K9 Unit Johannesburg arrested three men who were driving a Nissan Almera loaded with ivory tusks around the Bruma area in Johannesburg. Three suspects, aged between 33 and 35, were arrested on Wednesday in Bruma, Johannesburg, by members of the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Johannesburg and K9 Unit Johannesburg for the illegal possession of elephant tusks.
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SA_2023_09_Gauteng Hawks bust three men for illegal possession of elephant tusks_IOL.pdf | 218.52 KB |
Building on last year's donation of four Bat Hawk surveillance aircraft to South African National Parks (SANParks) to aid surveillance, conservation and anti-poaching efforts in the Kruger National Park, Anglo American Platinum this morning donated another Bat Hawk that will be going to SANParks' Addo Elephant National Park in the Eastern Cape. In addition, a Bat Hawk aircraft will be donated to Mapungubwe National Park, which is located on the border of South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe.
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SA_2023_09_SANParks records a 78 percent decrease in Rhino poaching_Gateway.pdf | 250.77 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 |