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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 - 14 of 14
Wednesday, 28 August 2024
Smit E 2024. Man vas vir onwettige jag.

Gerhardus Petrus van Zyl (50) is in hegtenis geneem en van onwettige jag van jagbare wild aangekla. Hy het na bewering 23 koedoe-, 17 eland-, nege hartebees- en 139 gemsbokvelle in sy besit gehad. Gerhardus Petrus van Zyl (50) was arrested and charged with illegal hunting of huntable game. He allegedly had in his possession 23 kudu, 17 eland, nine hartebeest and 139 oryx skins.

Wednesday, 28 August 2024
Vatileni E 2024. Special environmental courts yield N$4,9 million .

Namibia's special environmental court operations have resulted in fines worth N$4,9 million in one year. These special courts were conducted at Katima Mulilo, Rundu, Okahao, Outapi and in Windhoek for 42 days between April 2022 and March 2023. Prosecutor general Martha Imalwa revealed this at the official opening of the Environmental Crimes Court at Otjiwarongo on Monday. "We see the total of cases amounted to 162 on the court rolls from April 2022 to March 2023.

Monday, 19 August 2024
Haidula T 2024. Authorities vow tough action against poachers.

Oshikoto police regional commander Commissioner Teopolina Kalompo-Nashikaku has issued a stern warning to poachers, saying they risk their lives by engaging with armed anti-poaching units. Without mincing her words, she warned that the authorities are committed to protecting the country's fauna and flora and said poachers risk their own lives if they shoot at security personnel deployed to safeguard wildlife species.

Saturday, 3 August 2024
Pillay T 2024. Appeal for return of stolen birds.

The jackal buzzard is a fairly large African bird of prey and the Harris's Hawk - native to the Americas - is a standout with bold dark brown, chestnut red, and white markings, long yellow legs, and yellow markings on its face. An appeal has been made to the public for any information related to the theft of the four missing birds. Centre manager James Wittstock said they hoped the birds were still alive and safe. This is the first time birds have been stolen from the Centre. There was no way they could have escaped from their enclosure.

Thursday, 1 August 2024
Steynberg F 2024. Game poacher's accomplice pleads guilty.

Markus Rooinasie (27), the co-accused of serial game poacher Derick Brockerhoff, pleaded guilty to a charge of illegal hunting of huntable game. Both appeared on this charge after a well-known neighbourhood watch member and security officer caught them with a gemsbok and kudu carcass and a Remington hunting rifle in the mountains behind Windhoek's Eros neighbourhood on 11 April.

Thursday, 27 February 2020
Smit E 2020. 13 arrested for wildlife crime.

Thirteen suspects were arrested recently in connection with wildlife crimes, while five new cases were opened.  According to statistics released by the intelligence and investigation unit within the environment ministry and the protected resources division in the safety and security ministry, a total of three illegal wildlife products were also seized. 

Tuesday, 25 February 2020
2020. China bans illegal wildlife trade.

China yesterday declared an immediate and “comprehensive” ban on the trade and consumption of wild animals, a practice believed to be responsible for the deadly coronavirus outbreak.

Saturday, 22 February 2020
Tsiko S 2020. 100,000 children stand against wildlife crime (Zimbabwe and Mozambique) .

About 100,000 children in and around the national parks of Gonarezhou in Zimbabwe and Limpopo in Mozambique are being educated through the Peace and Changemaker Generation project to appreciate wildlife conservation efforts and to take a stand against wildlife crime. The project also promotes girls’ rights in their communities as part of wider efforts to strengthen the two countries’ efforts to combat wildlife trafficking.

Thursday, 20 February 2020
2020. Six suspected smugglers get bail.

The alleged rhino poachers mr. Mapole Tjipopyeni, Thomas Eino, Hofni Mengeri and Petena Karure appeared in court last Monday at Omaruru for the start of their trial.

Monday, 17 February 2020
2020. Nampol officers trained in cybercrime, wildlife trafficking.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in partnership with the US Department of State, conducted a successful Wildlife Trafficking Cybercrime Training Programme (WTCP) in Windhoek, Namibia.

Friday, 14 February 2020
2020. Of body bags and poached rhinos.

Shoot-to-kill policies just don’t work, are immoral and unlawful too. To my knowledge, the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) and Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) anti-poaching squads have killed well over 60 alleged poachers since the late 1980s with no discernible effect.

Thursday, 13 February 2020
2020. Namibia launches conservation fund to tackle human-wildlife conict .

Namibia launched an initiative that will contribute to the collective efforts of conserving the environment as well as the conservancies and communities in the rural areas at an event held in Windhoek on Thursday.

Friday, 7 February 2020
2020. Nampol officers trained in cybercrime, wildlife trafficking.

The US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) in partnership with the US Department of State, conducted a successful Wildlife Trafficking Cybercrime Training Programme (WTCP) in Windhoek, Namibia. The purpose of the training, which took place during January 27-31, 2020, was to strengthen global law enforcement relationships through the sharing of information related to the collection-preservation-examinationinvestigation of digital evidence in order to enhance the ability to combat worldwide illegal wildlife trafficking.

Tuesday, 4 February 2020
2020. South African national parks declare war on poachers.

South Africa is escalating the fight against poaching using different means and collaborating with other countries in the midst of increased activity by illegal hunters, said South African National Parks (SANParks) on Tuesday.

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