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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 - 20 of 20
Wednesday, 27 March 2024
Mpaka C 2024. Large ivory seizure in Mozambique comes amid worrying signs of increasing elephant poaching.

A major shipment of 651 pieces of elephant ivory has been seized in Mozambique en route to Dubai. Officials from Mozambique's Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) and the Tax Authority intercepted a container at Maputo port on 22 March 2024 and found the ivory concealed in a shipment of bags of corn. This is the third known large-scale seizure of elephant ivory exported from Mozambique since 2022.

Wednesday, 27 March 2024
Moser K 2024. NWP ernstig oor bewaring.
Namibia Wildlife Protection se veldwagters ontvang opleiding in onder meer die hantering van wapens, taktiese bewegings en spoorsny. Namibia Wildlife Protection rangers receive training in, amongst others, weapons handling, tactical movements and tracking.
Friday, 22 March 2024
Reiter C 2024. Mensch-Elefant-Konflikt weiterhin ein Problem.
Angolanischer Mann wird bei Ruacana von Elefanten angegriffen. Angolan man attacked by elephants near Ruacana.
Wednesday, 20 March 2024
2024. Zimbabwe: Two poachers gunned down, three arrested in mid-Zambezi.

In a recent incident in Katombora, Middle Zambezi Valley, two suspected poachers met a fatal end after engaging in a firefight with Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife (Zimparks) rangers. The confrontation resulted in the deaths of the poachers, while three others were apprehended. The rangers acted swiftly to protect wildlife and recovered 15 elephant tusks, along with a rifle and ammunition.

Wednesday, 20 March 2024
Moser K 2024. Namibia Wildlife Protection führt Anti-Wilderei-Markt an.
Die AZ hat das führende Anti-Wilderei-Unternehmen in Namibia, Namibia Wildlife Protection (NWP), begleitet, und in Erfahrung gebracht: "Es besteht eine große Nachfrage nach Anti-Wilderei-Einheiten in der namibischen Farmbranche und ein massiver Markt für Anti-Wilderei-Dienstleistungen." Das sagt Salmon Vermaak, der Gründer und Direktor von Namibia Wildlife Protection. Er entschied sich, sich auf Nashörner und Elefanten zu spezialisieren. Inzwischen beschäftigt er über 200 Ranger auf 700 000 Hektar privatem Farmland.
Thursday, 7 March 2024
Ndalikokule P 2024. Court freezes car, residential block belonging to suspected poacher Bishop Burugu.

A Nairobi court has frozen ownership of a Mercedes Benz and a block of residential flats built on prime land within Allsops area in Ruaraka belonging to televangelist and businessman Jackson Mbugua Burugu. This is in connection with a case of poaching that is pending in court. Lady Justice Diana Kavedza of the Nairobi Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Division issued the freezing order following a suit filed by the Asset Recovery Agency. Burugu is a prominent Nairobi-based televangelist who is commonly referred to as 'Bishop'.

Monday, 4 March 2024
2024. Namibia: Deforestation and poaching threaten endangered species.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism has sounded the alarm on the rapid decline of wildlife habitats due to deforestation and industrial emissions, exacerbating the impacts of climate change and hindering efforts to sustainably manage natural resources. In a statement released over the weekend to mark World Wildlife Day, Romeo Muyunda, spokesperson for the ministry, highlighted the urgent need to confront the challenges confronting local wildlife.

Sunday, 3 March 2024
2024. Namibia warns of wildlife crisis due to deforestation, poaching.

Namibia's Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism said Saturday that rapid deforestation and industrial emissions in the country are causing habitat loss for rare and endangered wildlife, exacerbating climate change impacts such as droughts and floods, and hindering efforts to sustainably manage natural resources for future generations. In a statement commemorating World Wildlife Day, Romeo Muyunda, the ministry's spokesperson, underscored the critical need to address the challenges facing Namibia's wildlife.

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.

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