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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 - 21 of 21
Wednesday, 31 July 2024
Abubakar Abuja Z 2024. Nigeria restates commitment to end wildlife crimes.

The Nigerian government says it will not relent in its efforts in the fight against wildlife crime in the country. Nigeria's Minister of State for Environment Dr Iziaq Salako stated this at the "public unveiling of an elephant sculpture constructed from the pulverized Wildlife stockpile” held in Abuja, Nigeria's capital. He said that the government would be resolute in enforcing laws and upscale the deployment of technology in fighting wildlife criminals. "I must warn that those engaged in the crime of illegal wildlife trade are very tenacious and do not give up easily.

Wednesday, 24 July 2024
Alabi O 2024. Judges need training in handling wildlife crimes - Minister.

The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, says there is a need for capacity building in the judiciary for effective prosecution of wildlife crimes. The minister noted that Nigerian wildlife was being threatened by poachers, with some wild animals, including elephants, facing extinction threats. Lawal said this when he appeared as a guest on an episode of Unfiltered: The Big Interview, monitored by our correspondent. He said, "The forest is now becoming homes for criminals, insurgents and poachers who kill endangered animals like elephants.

Wednesday, 24 July 2024
2024. China fortifies anti-wildlife trafficking efforts at its borders.
In a significant move to bolster anti-trafficking initiatives, TRAFFIC and the Chinese Academy of Customs Administration (CACA) joined forces on a customs training workshop, from which Customs Officers have come away with renewed confidence in verifying wildlife trade legality and drive to combat trafficking of timber and other wildlife products.
Monday, 22 July 2024
Ombati C 2024. Two arrested with Sh1.9 million elephant tusks in Tigania.

Two suspected poachers were at the weekend arrested while in possession of six pieces of elephant tusks in Tigania East, Meru county. They had wrapped the tusks weighing 18.5 kilos in four sacks when police and Kenya Wildlife Service officials intercepted them. Police said the two were nabbed at Muriamburi Junction Mulika area on July 18, as they transported the same to a potential buyer aboard a motorcycle. The suspects will be charged with being in possession of wildlife trophies of endangered species, contrary to Section 92(4) of the Wildlife Conservation Management Act 2013…

Friday, 12 July 2024
Mashamba RJ 2024. Kitengela - 3 Policemen amongst four found with 29 kg Ivory.
The arrest this past Saturday, June 15th, 2024, of three policemen and a civilian businessman, is at least the fifth time this year that there has been police involvement in the trafficking of ivory within Kenya.
Friday, 5 July 2024
Ndalikokule P 2024. Wildlife not spared by drought - Ministry - game meat for drought-hit communities.

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.

Thursday, 4 July 2024
Smit E 2024. Over 1 300 arrested for wildlife crimes in two years.

The wildlife crime cases over the last two years have mostly involved antelopes, pangolins, small mammals, rhinos and elephants.

Thursday, 4 July 2024
Dlamini M 2024. Shifeta updates on wildlife protection efforts at National Stakeholder Forum.

The Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, provided a detailed overview of ongoing efforts in wildlife protection and law enforcement at the 2024 Annual National Stakeholder Forum held this week. According to Shifeta, Namibia has long been recognized for its successful conservation strategies, which have significantly reduced poaching rates since the late 1980s and early 1990s, particularly targeting iconic species such as rhinos and elephants.

Wednesday, 3 July 2024
Terblanché N 2024. GRN steps up measures to combat environmental crimes.

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).

Wednesday, 3 July 2024
Ndeyanale E 2024. 654 suspects arrested for poaching.

The Namibian authorities arrested 654 people linked to 389 wildlife-crime cases registered in the country last year. This is according to a 2023 national report on wildlife protection and law enforcement in Namibia completed by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism. The report shows that 96 wildlife-crime court cases were finalised. Twelve cases involving pangolins, eight cases for elephants, four cases involving trees and an additional four cases involving rhinos were finalised in court.

Tuesday, 2 July 2024
Anyoli E 2024. Is Ugandas Wildlife Court a paper tiger.
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.

Monday, 1 July 2024
Mashamba RJ 2024. Cop, civilian arrested with elephant tusks worth Sh2.9m in Naivasha.

Officials said up to eight elephants had been killed and there is a likelihood the incidents happened in the nearby parks. Elephant tusks fetch a fortune in the black market as a surge in demand for ivory in the East continues to fuel the illicit trade in elephant tusks, especially from Africa.

Monday, 1 July 2024
Ndalikokule P 2024. Naivasha - Policeman yet again trafficking ivory - 29 kg.
On June 30th, 2024, two men in the process of ferrying ivory on a motorbike were arrested by Kenya Wildlife Service just south of Naivasha. That was the third ivory trafficking arrest involving police suspects in two weeks.
Wednesday, 30 September 2020
2020. Three arrested with elephant tusks.

Three men were arrested for allegedly possessing elephant tusks on 22 September at Mukwe in the Kavango East Region.

Wednesday, 30 September 2020
2020. Drie mans vas oor twee olifanttande.

'n Angolese man en twee Namibiërs is verlede week glo met twee olifanttande in hul besit vasgetrek.

An Angolan man and two Namibians were allegedly caught with two elephant tusks in their possession last week.

Tuesday, 29 September 2020
Zenda C 2020. COVID-19 sees increase in Wildlife Poaching in Southern Africa.

Six months into COVID-19 lockdown and with most southern African nations not having social safety nets for their citizens, there has been an uptick in wildlife poaching across the region.

Thursday, 17 September 2020
2020. Bisher 22 Nashörner, zwei Elefanten gewildert.

22 Nashörner und zwei Elefanten wurden in diesem Jahr in Namibia von Wilderern getötet. Das ist weniger als in den beiden Jahren zuvor, teilte Romeo Muyunda, Pressesprecher im Ministerium für Umwelt, Forstwirtschaft und Tourismus, jetzt mit.

22 rhinos and two elephants were killed by poachers in Namibia this year. That is less than in the previous two years, said Romeo Muyunda, press spokesman in the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism.

Tuesday, 15 September 2020
Steynberg F 2020. 19 vir wildmisdaad aangekla.

Altesaam 19 vermeende wildmisdadigers is verlede week in hegtenis geneem en aangekla.

A total of 19 suspected wildlife criminals were arrested and charged last week.

Tuesday, 15 September 2020
2020. Twenty-two rhinos and two elephants poached so far this year: MEFT.

Twenty-two rhinos and two elephants have been killed by poachers thus far in 2020, the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Environment has said.

Tuesday, 1 September 2020
Steynberg F 2020. Zambiër vas met ivoor, 81 ietermagôskubbe.

’n Zambiese man, mnr. Tumone Biemba, is verlede week op Katima Mulilo glo met een olifanttand en 81 ietermagôskubbe vasgetrek.

A Zambian man, mr. Tumone Biemba, was allegedly caught on Katima Mulilo last week with one elephant tooth and 81 pangolin scales.

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