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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.

Explore your search results using the filter checkboxes, or amend your search or start a new search.

Displaying results 1 - 16 of 16
Thursday, 30 January 2025
Owiti G 2025. Kenya: Cops arrested with Sh4.9m ivory tusks in Machakos.

Two police officers have been arrested while in possession of Sh4.9 million worth of ivory tusks in Athi River, Machakos county. The duo, according to police, was nabbed along the Nairobi–Mombasa highway within Kyumbi Township. The matter was reported to Kyumbi police station as the arrest of police officers. Police said the officers were arrested by their two colleagues. “The KWS officers both of KWS headquarters, Nairobi, acting on a tip managed to arrest the officers.

Thursday, 30 January 2025
Tayo RS 2025. Cameroon should extend efforts beyond green militarisation to combat elephant poaching.

The global demand for ivory is driving heavily armed poachers from Chad and Sudan into Cameroon's Bouba Ndjida National Park. two decades, the Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants programme has recorded 3,004 elephants illegally killed in this region. In April 2023, several were killed in Chad’s Beinamar area, close to the Cameroon border, sparking concerns about a potential resurgence of poaching. The Bouba Ndjida National Park in Cameroon’s North Region shares a border with the Sena Oura Biosphere Reserve in Chad.

Thursday, 16 January 2025
2025. Lunga Lunga - 106 kg ivory left behind as suspects escape.
15 tusks and a motorbike with Tanzanian registration were abandoned by the accused who were able to evade arrest.
Thursday, 16 January 2025
Collins D 2025. Hunting for poachers amid South Africa's bloody wildlife war.
An ongoing and violent poaching crisis threatens some of the country's most iconic wildlife. These are just a few of the men and women who have the grit to fight back
Thursday, 16 January 2025
Mongudhi T 2025. China's untouchable Hou: How 'mafia boss' keeps evading justice in Namibia.

For over two decades, Chinese businessman Hou Xue Cheng has danced through Namibia's legal system, mysteriously dodging convictions for alleged death threats, wildlife crimes, smuggling, money laundering and corruption. Hou, also referred to as the Mafia Boss, was arrested with an accomplice on 7 January, after allegedly attempting to smuggle seal genitals from Namibia to Angola. His latest arrest was treated as routine, with no fanfare or media statement released by the authorities. But a closer look shows that Hou has been dodging prosecution in Namibia for over 20 years.

Monday, 13 January 2025
2025. Fauna / Cameroon's green militarisation strategy safeguards African savanna elephants.

Poaching threatens the survival of savanna elephants in Central Africa. Over the last two decades, the Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants programme has recorded 3 004 illegal elephant kills in this region. In April 2023, several elephants were killed in the Beinamar region of Chad, close to the Cameroon border, sparking concerns about a potential resurgence of poaching in this region. The Bouba Ndjida National Park, located in the North Region of Cameroon, shares a border with the Sena Oura Biosphere Reserve in Chad.

Monday, 13 January 2025
2025. Cameroon's green militarisation strategy safeguards African savanna elephants.

Poaching threatens the survival of savanna elephants in Central Africa. Over the last two decades, the Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants programme has recorded 3 004 illegal elephant kills in this region. In April 2023, several elephants were killed in the Beinamar region of Chad, close to the Cameroon border, sparking concerns about a potential resurgence of poaching in this region. The Bouba Ndjida National Park, located in the North Region of Cameroon, shares a border with the Sena Oura Biosphere Reserve in Chad.

Tuesday, 7 January 2025
Reiter C 2025. Two Zambians caught in possession of tusks.

The Ministry of Environment (MEFT), in cooperation with the police and the Namibian Defence Forces (NDF), arrested two suspects found in possession of four elephant tusks in the Zambezi region at around 11pm last Thursday. "The suspects, aged 23 and 25, both male nationals of Zambia, are charged with illegal possession of controlled wildlife products and for violating the Immigration Control Act 7/1993 for illegally entering Namibia," the environment ministry said.

Monday, 28 November 2022
2022. Namibia to step up efforts against wildlife crime during festive season.

Muyunda said even though Namibia continues to record successes in the fight against wildlife crime, poaching of highly valued species remains a concern. In 2022 to date, Namibia recorded 63 rhinos poached cases in the country consisting of 41 black rhinos and 22 white rhinos. "This year’s poaching cases include 15 rhinos poached on custodianship farms, another 22 on private farms, and 26 in the Etosha National Park.

Monday, 28 November 2022
David M 2022. More rhinos poached than elephants.

THE Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism (MEFT) has recorded 63 rhinos poached since the start of the year, of which 41 are black rhinos and 22 are white rhinos. Spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said this year’s poaching cases include 15 rhinos poached on custodianship farms, another 22 on private farms, and 26 in the Etosha National Park. In previous years, 44 rhinos were recorded poached in 2021, 42 in 2020, 57 in 2019, 83 in 2018, and 55 in 2017.

Monday, 28 November 2022
Nakale A 2022. Poaching remains unabated.

The environment and tourism ministry says even though it continues to record successes in its fight against wildlife crime, poaching of highly valued species remains a concern. Ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda over the weekend said 63 rhinos have been poached in the country this year alone. This includes 41 black rhinos and 22 white rhinos. This year’s poaching cases include 15 rhinos poached on custodianship farms, another 22 on private farms and 26 in the Etosha National Park.

Monday, 21 November 2022
2022. Men nabbed with stolen firearms and ivory.

Two men were arrested for the possession of stolen firearms, ivory and other property on Friday in Cape St Francis.

Monday, 21 November 2022
2022. Zimbabweans arrested at border with an elephant tusk and pangolin.

Two Zimbabwean nationals were arrested after crossing into South Africa on a boat and were found in possession of a pangolin and an elephant tusk.

Thursday, 17 November 2022
Chilengue R 2022. Five years without elephant poaching in Mozambique's Gorongosa National Park.

No elephant has been killed by poachers in five years in the Gorongosa National Park, located in the central Mozambican province of Sofala. This information was provided on October 20, 2022 in Maputo by the head of the Department of Conservation in the National Park, Ângelo Levi, during a debate on the theme The Challenges of Conservation of Animal and Forest Life, promoted by Nedbank Mozambique, as part of the commemorations of World Animal Day.

Thursday, 17 November 2022
Wakini A 2022. Chinese man found dead in Lavington, game trophies recovered.

A Chinese national was on Wednesday November 16, found dead in his apartment at Sunshine Court, Valley Arcade in Nairobi's Lavington area. According to police, the matter was reported to the Muthangari police station by the deceased's friend, Hoang Thi Diut. Officers reportedly found 78 pieces of elephant ivory, two pieces of rhino horns, two pieces of ivory sculptures, a piece of animal skin, 65 pieces of lion teeth and 160 pieces of lion claws.

Wednesday, 2 November 2022
Swaby N 2022. 2 foreign nationals sentenced in Seattle for trafficking ivory and rhinoceros horn.

The multi-billion-dollar industry of illegally trafficking wildlife was front and center in federal court on Tuesday morning. The Homeland Security investigation led to two foreign nationals being arrested in Edmonds in November of 2021. On Tuesday, Herdade Lokua learned he would spend the next 20 months in prison, and Jospin Mujangi was sentenced to 14 months. The investigation led to the seizure of $3.5 million worth of elephant ivory, white rhinoceros horn, and pangolin scales.

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