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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In January 2021, Nigeria seized pangolin scales and tusks and bones from endangered species hidden in a container of furniture materials. The seized materials are used in traditional Chinese medicine despite having no medicinal value. Studies have suggested that pangolins, the most-smuggled animals in the world, may have been an intermediate host of the coronavirus that was discovered in an outdoor farmers market in Wuhan, China, in late 2019. Customs officials said the contraband consisted of 162 sacks of pangolin scales and 57 sacks of mixed animal parts, including ivory and…
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SA_2021_12_COVID_19 clears pathway for poachers_Defenceweb.pdf | 441.45 KB |
Seven new wildlife crime cases have been reported recently, while 21 suspects were arrested. Seven suspects were arrested with regards to rhino poaching or trafficking cases and six were arrested for elephant poaching or trafficking. At Oshikango, two Namibians and three Angolan nationals were arrested on 5 December for being in the possession of a pangolin skin. In another incident at Okakarara, five Namibians were arrested on 5 December for conspiring to hunt a rhino.
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NAM_2021_12_21 nabbed for wildlife crimes_Namibian Sun.pdf | 246.1 KB |
The US on Monday announced visa restrictions on eight DR Congo nationals involved in wildlife trafficking, in the latest whip on supposed illegal revenues fuelling conflict in the central African nation. The eight people, believed to be connected business and political players in the country, are accused of having a hand in trafficking of ivory, pangolin scales and rhino horn; products of endangered species.
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CON_2021_12_ US imposes visa ban on 8 linked to wildlife trafficking_allAfrica_com.pdf | 252.23 KB |
Police this year arrested about 1 306 people for illegally dealing in precious minerals and elephant tusks, recovering millions of dollars' worth of contraband, a senior officer said on Saturday.
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ZIM_2021_12_Ivory and precious minerals seized_Africa Sustainable Conservation News.pdf | 127.75 KB |
Am vergangen Sonntag wurden zwei Verdächtige festgenommen, die im Oktober 2020 ein Nashorn gewildert haben sollen. Das geht aus einem Bericht des Umweltministeriums hervor. Den beiden Männern wird vorgeworfen, ein unter Artenschutz stehendes Nashorn gejagt, getötet sowie den Kadaver verkauft zu haben. Darüber hinaus wurden in der letzten Woche sechs weitere neue Fälle in Verbindung mit Wildtierkriminalität bekannt. Insgesamt 21 Personen wurden festgenommen. Darunter fallen eine Vielzahl an Personen, die im illegalen Besitz von Wildtierprodukten waren und damit Handel betrieben…
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NAM_2021-12_Polizei beschlagnahmt acht Stoßzaehne_Allgemeine Zeitung.pdf | 475.27 KB |
NAM_2021-12_Police confiscate eight tusks_Allgemeine Zeitung_Eng.pdf | 419.38 KB |
A 71-year-old man was arrested after allegedly being found in possession of four elephant tusks on Thursday. According to the police, the man was arrested at Nonidas River Plots at Swakopmund.
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NAM_2021_12_Man arrested over elephant tusks_The Namibian.pdf | 1.03 MB |
Volgens die polisie se naweekmisdaadverslag wat vandag uitgereik is, is 'n 71-jarige man Donderdagoggend by 'n restaurant by die Swakopmund-kleinhoewes in hegtenis geneem nadat hy na bewering tydens ‘n lokval vier olifanttande aan polisiebeamptes probeer verkoop het. In 'n onverwante voorval is 'n 48-jarige Angolese burger dieselfde namiddag by Kahenge in hegtenis geneem vir die onwettige besit van twee ietermagôvelle ter waarde van 'n geskatte N$100 000.
South African National Parks (SANParks) today (10 December) said its Environmental Crime Investigation Unit (ECI) in collaboration with the South African Police Service (SAPS) Directorate of Priority Crime Investigations (DPCI), conducted a series of intelligence driven operations which led to the arrest of eight suspected poachers in October and November in villages adjacent to the Kruger National Park (KNP).
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SA_2021_12_SANParks joint intelligence operations leads to arrest of suspected poachers_Defenceweb.pdf | 419.02 KB |
Eight elephants in the Lobéké National Park in eastern Cameroon have been shot. Cameroonian authorities report having arrested individuals involved in the trade of elephant tusks. As a result, new security measures were taken to ensure the conservation of wildlife.
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CAM_2021_12_Poachers kill 8 elephants in the Lobeke National Park_Afrik21.pdf | 361.81 KB |
The Kisutu Resident Magistrate's Court on Wednesday re-sentenced "Queen of Ivory," Chinese Yang Feng Clan and two Tanzanians to 15 years imprisonment each for leading organized crime on 860 pieces of elephant tusks, which are government trophies, valued at over 13bn/-.
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TAN_2021_12_Court Re_Sentenced _Queen of Ivory to 15 Years in Jail_allAfrica_com.pdf | 162.18 KB |
Cameroon has deployed its military forces to help rangers crack down on poachers on its eastern border with the Central African Republic. Cameroon wildlife officials say poaching is again increasing after pandemic restrictions saw a drop in the number of animals being killed. Officials say in the last week alone, poachers have killed at least eight elephants along the border. Cameroon's Forestry and Wildlife ministry says several dozen armed poachers are attacking elephants along the CAR border.
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CAM_2021_12_Cameroon deploys military to assist rangers as poaching increases_VOA News.pdf | 30.21 KB |
South Africa is no stranger to wildlife crime as shown in Operation Thunder, an Interpol-led effort against environmental crime in the broadest sense of the words. The worldwide enforcement operation against wildlife and timber crime co-ordinated by Interpol and the World Customs Organisation (WCO) disrupted crime networks and saw hundreds of arrests internationally, the France-headquartered policing body said.
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SA_2021_12_Interpol Op Thunder nabs wildlife criminals_Defenceweb.pdf | 511.03 KB |
Namibia hat einen starken Rückgang der Elefantenwilderei verzeichnet, insbesondere in den letzten acht Jahren. Nach Angaben des Umweltministeriums scheint die Elefantenwilderei jährlich zurückzugehen. 2014 wurden 78 Elefanten gewildert, 2017 wiederum 50. Während im Jahr 2016 bis zu 101 Elefanten gewildert wurden, waren es 2019 und 2020 nur noch 13 bzw. zwölf Elefanten. Der Sprecher des Ministeriums, Romeo Muyunda, erklärt, dass der Rückgang darauf zurückzuführen ist, dass die Strafverfolgungsbehörden strengere Maßnahmen gegen Wildtierkriminalität ergreifen.
Sodra die wêreld Covid-19 onder beheer kry, kan stropery - veral die stroping van olifante - weer die hoogte inskiet. Dit sal dan die opgeboude vraag na ivoor in die wêreld se swartmarkte moet inhaal. Mnr. Daniel Stiles, 'n onafhanklike ondersoeker wat dekades reeds spesialiseer in onwettige markte en handel in wild en wildprodukte, waarsku dat 'n onlangse styging in swartmarkprys vir ivoor in Viëtnam en China onrusbarende tekens is. Hy het die opmerkings in 'n verslag gemaak wat deel vorm van 'n reeks deur die Wêreldwye Inisiatief teen Transnasionale, Georganiseerde Misdaad (GI-…
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NAM_2021_09_Na virus kan stropers weer toeslaan_Republikein.pdf | 321.29 KB |
NAM_2021_09_After virus_poachers can strike again_Republikein_Eng.pdf | 320.52 KB |
A Zimbabwean man, who managed to get his lover off the hook after the pair was caught with two elephant tusks, has been jailed for two years in Botswana.
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ZIM_2021_09_Zim Man Jailed 2 Years In Botswana For Ivory Possession_NewZimbabwe.pdf | 268.8 KB |
Zimbabwe Republic Police in Hwange arrested Bokisi Augustine (33) at St Mary's Village for illegally possessing an elephant tusk weighing 11.79 kgs and valued at US$2000.
A man caught with a single elephant tusk during an unexpected run-in with the police in the bush two years ago will learn his fate next Thursday. Although he tried to hide the offending item beneath his jacket during his unplanned encounter with the cops, the big bulge gave Gaosego Emang Seipato away. The 35-year-old met his downfall on 3 May 2019, when he was rumbled by a police patrol who were actually on the lookout for illegal gold miners in the bushes between Matshelagabedi and BDF training centre on the outskirts of Francistown.
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BOT_2021_09_Busted In The Bush_TheVoiceBw.pdf | 496.73 KB |
A big-hearted boyfriend who managed to get his lover off the hook after the pair were caught with two elephant tusks has been taken to task over the matter and jailed for two years. Zimbabwean native, Brian Ndlovu admitted to being in possession of the ivory, claiming he had been given the tusks by another man with the instruction to sell them. He was busted when police received a tip-off of a man trying to sell tusks at Tonota lands. Swooping into action on 22 January, the cops pounced to find Ndlovu in the presence of his girlfriend and home-girl, Mary Sibanda.
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BOT_2021_09_Big-Hearted Boyfriend Jailed In Elephant Tusk Takedown_TheVoiceBw.pdf | 458.21 KB |
Alain Moukombou, Romuald Kassa, Gervais Bamdjogo and Ralph Ngayïkoukoudié, all Gabonese nationals, were arrested on 14 September to Mulundu in Ogooué-Lolo, in possession of six ivory tusks. Placed in custody to view the premises of the Judicial Police (PJ) Koula-moutou, suspected traffickers face up to 10 years in prison.
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GAB_2021_09_Four nationals caught with ivory_Africa Sustainable Conservation News.pdf | 882.1 KB |
Franzistown: A tenderpreneur has pleaded with the court to be lenient when sentencing him after pleading guilty to illegal possession of an elephant tusk.
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BOT_2021_09_Tenderpreneur pleads guilty to illegal ivory possession_Mmegionline.pdf | 365.51 KB |
The Chief Resident Magistrate Court in Lilongwe has set 27 September, 2021, as the day for delivering judgement against a Chinese national, Yunhua Lin, who is answering charges of money laundering and rhino horn trafficking. Lin came to Malawi as an investor like many do but without proper screening and vetting, the country let in a criminal who is destroying our current and future economy. Lin is a member of one of Southern Africa’s most prolific wildlife trafficking syndicates, which has been operating out of Malawi for at least a decade.
Kenyan authorities have welcomed the progress made in the fight against poaching, after the publication Monday night of the first animal census conducted in the country, which should serve as a basis for improving environmental conservation. According to the data, Kenya has 36,280 elephants, among other things, a population that is up 21 percent from 2014, when poaching peaked.