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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A six-year jail sentence for a man who smuggled 1 100 Emperor scorpions, 42 Bell's hingeback tortoises and a water lizard. Seventeen years imprisonment for elephant poachers in the Kruger National Park. A 10-year jail sentence for a pangolin poacher.
There is growing concern that Nigeria, in recent years, has become a primary transit hub for several illicit wildlife and forest products.
Poaching syndicates are recruiting vulnerable villagers in Zimbabwe's animal corridors to kill animals such as elephants for their ivory and to find markets, even on the streets, it has emerged. Police in areas such as Hwange, Kamativi and Victoria Falls in Matabeleland North have in recent months arrested people found trying to sell pieces of ivory on the streets. Conservationists say most of the locals arrested were people that were exploited by cunning syndicates, including some run by Zambian nationals, and they often lacked knowledge about wildlife crimes.
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ZIM_2022_08_Poaching syndicates trap vulnerable villagers_Small_The Standard.pdf | 320.45 KB |
The Gabonese authorities have just arrested an alleged wildlife trafficker. The latter was caught in the act of holding and selling about twenty kilograms of ivory. In Gabon, elephants are protected by the wildlife law in force.
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GAB_2022_08_Alleged ivory trafficker arrested in Fougamou_Journal of African Elephants.pdf | 131.6 KB |
New York - A U.S. judge sentenced a Liberian man to 63 months in prison for conspiring to traffic millions of dollars’ worth of horns and ivory from endangered rhinoceros and elephants, federal prosecutors said Thursday.
Despite huge seizures, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is still battling smugglers from China, Vietnam and some South East Asian countries using Nigerian ports and porous borders as transit hub for the transshipment of pangolin scales and ivory. Shipments of pangolin scales intercepted and reported by Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) between 2010 and September 2021 has been put at 190,407 kilogrammes. It was gathered that some seizures in ports of Hong Kong, China, Vietnam and other parts of South East Asia valued at $1.5 billion were traced to Nigeria.
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NIG_2022_08_Breaking yoke of illegal wildlife trafficking_Journal of African Elephants.pdf | 228.58 KB |
The police in the Zambezi region have urged public assistance to trace a suspected poacher for arrest. The suspect allegedly fatally shot the elephant bull on Monday, 15 August, and the community members of Batubaja Village made the discovery. It was further reported that the elephant was shot and died in Batubaja area. The incident is believed to have occurred at around 15h00 in the afternoon. No suspect has been arrested so far, and the investigation is at an advanced stage.
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NAM_2022_08_Suspected poaching leaves Zambezi elephant dead_Eagle FM.pdf | 407.05 KB |
A Gokwe man has been nabbed after he was found in possession of an elephant tusk following a tip off by members of the public.
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ZIM_2022_08_Man arrested after being found in possession of elephant tusk_The Chronicle.pdf | 329.23 KB |
Despite international agreements to combat illegal wildlife trade, poaching and trafficking is booming. Governments are meeting Wednesday in Botswana to evaluate current measures. As illegal wildlife activity reaches alarmingly high levels worldwide, governments are meeting in Kasane, Botswana, Wednesday to discuss the success of current measures against poaching and wildlife trafficking.
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AFR_2022_08_Illegal wildlife trade_DW.pdf | 530.64 KB |
In Victoria Falls, police have arrested Listed Munkuli (35), Kudakwashe Ndlovu (31), Darlington Moyo (35) and Simon Nyoni (45) for unlawful possession of ivory at Mhizha Turn-off in the Matsetsi area. Two elephant tasks totalling 4,28kg, 15 lion claws and four lion teeth were recovered from the suspects. In another case, police and Zimbabwe National Parks Management Authority rangers, acting on a tip-off, arrested Evidence Moyo (22) for poaching. The suspect trapped and killed a male buffalo in the bush near the Victoria Falls dump site.
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ZIM_2022_08_Robber poachers arrested_The Herald.pdf | 230.53 KB |
Two men from Zvishavane and their friend from Goromonzi appeared in court yesterday on allegations of illegally possessing four pieces of raw Ivory worth US$6 426 they intended to trade in Harare.
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ZIM_2022_08_Trio intercepted with four pieces of ivory_The Herald.pdf | 783.95 KB |
Ahmed is wanted in the U.S after he was charged in an indictment alongside Moazu Kromah, aka "Ayoub," Amara Cherif, aka "Bamba Issiaka," and Mansur Mohamed Surur, aka "Mansour," for participating in a conspiracy to traffic in Rhinoceros horns and Elephant ivory, both protected wildlife species, valued at more than 7 million dollars. This involved the illegal poaching of more than 35 rhinoceros and more than 100 elephants.
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KEN_2022_08_Second Fugitive on US Most Wanted List arrested in Meru_Capital News.pdf | 1.17 MB |
Drei Männer, die des illegalen Besitzes und Handels mit zwei Elefantenstoßzähnen im Wert von etwa 104 000 N$ im Jahr 2019 in Walvis Bay angeklagt waren, wurden am vergangenen Mittwoch von der Swakopmunder Bezirksrichterin Gaynor Poulton in allen Punkten freigesprochen.
Three men charged with illegally possessing and trafficking two elephant tusks worth around N$104,000 in Walvis Bay in 2019 were acquitted on all counts by Swakopmund District Judge Gaynor Poulton last Wednesday.
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NAM_2022_08_Verdaechtige Freigesprochen-Allgemeine Zeitung.pdf | 461.36 KB |
NAM_2022_08_Suspect aquitted_Allgemiene Zeitung_ENG.pdf | 457.42 KB |
In diesem Jahr wurden laut des Umweltministeriums (MEFT) 33 Nashörner gewildert, davon sind 24 Spitzmaulnashörner und neun Breitmaulnashörner. "Es wurden neun Nashörner auf Farmen unter Treuhandverwaltung gewildert, weitere neun auf privaten Farmen und 15 im Etoscha-Nationalpark", so die Erklärung des Umweltministeriums. Namibia verzeichnete demnach 44 gewilderte Nashörner in 2021, 42 in 2020, 57 in 2019, 83 in 2018 und 55 in 2017.
Three men accused of smuggling with elephant tusks in Walvis Bay in 2019, were acquitted of all charges in the Swakopmund's regional court.
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NAM_2022_08_Three men aquitted of elephant tusk smuggling_Allgemeine Zeitung_Eng.pdf | 452.04 KB |
The Nigeria Customs Service (NSC) recently announced the seizure of huge wildlife products including elephant tusks and other endangered species. And in Lagos, among some wealthy people, no party is complete without a display and barbecue of some protected animals, as seen in some trending videos on social media. It should worry the authorities that our country is fast becoming a huge jungle.
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NIG_2021_08_ Combating Crime Against Wild Life_allAfrica_com.pdf | 126.51 KB |
Three Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) officials are battling for life at a hospital in Harare after they were recently severely assaulted by suspected poachers in Mushumbi, Mashonaland Central province.
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ZIM_2021_08_Poachers axe ZimParks rangers_NewsDay Zimbabwe.pdf | 95.48 KB |
A postolic Movement Advent Mission church leader Ranganai Kande has appeared before the Harare Magistrates' Courts after he was illegally found in possession of ivory.
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ZIM_2021_08_Church leader up for illegal ivory possession_DailyNews.pdf | 335.11 KB |
The Court of Appeal has upheld the 30-year imprisonment sentence imposed on poacher, Ng'waja Serengeta, for unlawful possession of three pieces of elephant tusks valued at 15,000 US dollars (about 34.8m/-), which are government trophies.
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TAN_2021_08_Court Upholds 30-Year Jail Term Imposed On Poacher_allAfrica.com_.pdf | 135.71 KB |
At Okahandja, three Namibians were arrested on 24 July for illegally hunting a wildebeest. Festus Nyama, Staynley Bwendo and Phoster Manyando were charged for violating the Nature Conservation Ordinance Act. A hunting rifle was also confiscated. The case was not reported last week. In another incident at Kahenge, a Namibian was arrested with two python skins on 26 July. Hamutenya Mutjireni was charged with the illegal possession and dealing of controlled wildlife products. At Rundu, two Namibians were arrested on 27 July for being in possession of a pangolin skin.
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NAM_2021_08_11 arrested with eight wildlife products_Namibian Sun.pdf | 300.18 KB |
Am 24. Juli wurden demnach drei Männer in Okahandja verhaftet, da diese mit einem Wildebeest-Kadaver und einer Jagdwaffe in ihrem Besitz gefunden wurden. In Kahenge, in der Kavango-West-Region, wurde am 26. Juli ebenfalls ein Namibier wegen illegalen Besitzes von zwei Python-Häuten verhaftet. Bei einem weiteren Vorfall des 27. Juli in Rundu, wurden zwei Männer, die im Besitz eines Schuppentierpanzers waren, ebenfalls verhaftet.
Rhino and elephant poaching continues to decline in Africa, most likely due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions and enhanced protection efforts. This is particularly the case in Namibia, as well as Zimbabwe and Tanzania, bringing hope to a species plagued by intensive poaching over the past few decades.
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AFR_2021-08_Rhino_Elephant Poaching Continues to Decline in Africa_Earth_org.pdf | 523.27 KB |
Officials in Nigeria - a hub for illegal wildlife trafficking - have seized a record amount of pangolin scales and claws and elephant tusks as the government attempts to combat the trade, the head of customs said on Wednesday. The seizure, worth 22 billion naira ($54 million and over R770 million), included 17,137 kg of pangolin scales, 44 kg of elephant tusks and 60 kg in pangolin claws, Colonel Hameed Ibrahim Ali, comptroller-general of customs, said in a statement.
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NIG_2021_08_Nigeria seizes record R770 million in pangolin parts_elephant tusks_IOL.pdf | 528.17 KB |
Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi announced on Saturday that, for the third consecutive year, no elephants have been poached in the Niassa National Reserve in the far north of the country, or in the Gorongosa National Park in the central province of Sofala.
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MOZ_2021_08_No Elephant Poaching Recorded in Niassa Reserve_allAfrica_com.pdf | 82.65 KB |
Police said the four were found in possession of 19 pieces of the jumbo tusks. The tusks have a street value of Sh10 million.