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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 - 17 of 17
Sunday, 22 May 2022
Manika C 2022. Poachers kill endangered painted dogs in Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park.

Endangered African painted dogs are at the risk of local extinction due to poachers hunting other wildlife at Zimbabwe's Hwange National Park. The painted dogs are victims of rampant poaching by local and international syndicates hunting for wildlife such as buffaloes and elephants. Although poachers have no interest in painted dogs themselves, they become victims of snares or poisoned water sources meant for other game. The destruction of their habitants is also cited as one of the reasons why the painted dogs face extinction. "It’s not about the painted dogs only.

Tuesday, 17 May 2022
2022. Wilderer werden bei Polizeieinsatz verhaftet.

Ein weiteres Wild- und Viehdiebstahlsyndikat wurde in der Gegend von Outjo aufgedeckt. Mindestens drei Gemsböcke wurden laut sozialen Medien kürzlich in der Umgebung geschlachtet und hunderte von Drahtfallen entfernt. Am vergangenen Wochenende wurde auf den Farmen westlich von Outjo bis in die Nähe von Khorixas eine gemeinsame Aktion seitens der namibischen Polizei, den Farmern der Umgebung sowie der Nyime-Anti-Wilderei-Einheit gegen die Wilderei vorgenommen.

Monday, 16 May 2022
2022. Let's all join poaching fight.

Revelations by Centre for Environment Justice that there are between 4,000 and 6,000 active poachers in Kafue National Park alone is very distressing not only to wildlife defenders but all Zambians. What is so heart-breaking is the fact that wildlife poaching is not a new phenomenon in Zambia. It dates back to the 1950s, from which time to date over 90 percent of the country's elephants have been killed. Estimates by experts indicate that in the 1980s, elephant numbers dropped from a quarter of a million to just 18,000.

Wednesday, 11 May 2022
Nyanhongo L 2022. 16-year-old boy arrested for poaching, caught with four impala, lion and Zebra meat.

A 16-year old Beitbridge boy has been arrested and is due to appear in court after he was caught in possession of snares and game meat. The boy was arrested together with one Freeman Moyo (38), and the two are being charged for contravening section 5 of Trapping of Animals Control Act.

Sunday, 8 May 2022
Nxumalo S 2022. Six alleged poachers arrested in a Howick Farm in KZN.

Magma Security and Investigations said while their officers were patrolling in the Karkloof area, a suspicious vehicle was observed on a client’s property just after 2am, on Sunday morning. It said that upon stopping the vehicle, the officers found six occupants with six dogs. "They had poached and killed two warthogs and six porcupines. Knives were found in their possession. Suspects were handed over to Howick SAPS," said Magma Magma Security and Investigations.

Friday, 26 June 2020
Smit E 2020. Eight arrested for wildlife crimes.

While only two new cases of wildlife crimes were reported recently, eight suspects were arrested and charged. At Katima Mulilo, Roster Mazila Mukendwa was arrested on 14 June for the illegal hunting of protected game. He was found in possession of a duiker carcass and charged with contravening the Nature Conservation Ordinance Act. In a separate incident, Gerhard Iyambo was arrested on 17 June at Okahao in connection with an old case, dating back to February, regarding conspiring to hunt a rhino. 

Tuesday, 23 June 2020
2020. Vier vas oor jag van koedoes, gemsbok  .

Vier Namibiese mans is verlede Donderdag by Karasburg in hegtenis geneem met glo een gemsbok- en drie koedoekarkasse in hul besit.

Four Namibian men were arrested last Thursday in Karasburg with one oryx and three kudu carcasses in their possession.

Friday, 19 June 2020
Smit E 2020. Ten arrested for wildlife crimes.

A total of five wildlife products were seized: two oryx carcasses, a pangolin skin and two aardvark carcasses.

Thursday, 18 June 2020
2020. Sustaining wild species is critical.

The Covid-19 pandemic has led to a worldwide crisis of food insecurity and unemployment. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) warns of rising hunger and poverty. Commentators, particularly from the global North, have raised concerns about the implications for biodiversity. The first is that in some places, budgets for biodiversity conservation have been reduced due to a drastic drop in tourism revenue and the diversion of funds and forces to health-related functions. Secondly, growing poverty and the loss of livelihoods may drive people to poaching.

Wednesday, 17 June 2020
Steffen F 2020. Große Pläne mit wenig Geldmitteln.

Umweltministerium setzt auf Nachhaltigkeit und bekämpft erfolgreich die Wilderei. Obwohl der Sektor als maßgebliches Wirtschaftsstandbein gehandelt wird, steht das Ministerium für Umwelt, Forstwirtschaft und Tourismus mit seinem Ausgabenplan im namibischen Haushalt für 2020-21 gerade Mal an 16. Stelle von insgesamt 33 Ausgabenposten. Der Minister verlässt sich indessen auf viel Hilfe aus Deutschland und von weiteren Entwicklungspartnern.

Tuesday, 16 June 2020
Shikongo A 2020. Wildlife gets bulk of environment budget.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has allocated 36% of its budget to wildlife and protected area management. This was announced by minister of environment, forestry and tourism Pohamba Shifeta during his budget motivation in the National Assembly on Thursday.

Tuesday, 16 June 2020
2020. Man vas met twee erdvarkkarkasse.

'n Namibiese man, mnr. Harry Garoeb, is Saterdag by Outjo glo met twee erdvarkkarkasse in hegtenis geneem.

A Namibian man, Mr. Harry Garoeb, was allegedly arrested on Saturday at Outjo with two aardvark carcasses.

Friday, 12 June 2020
Motylska I 2020. The Breaking Point: Could this report spell the end of SA's wildlife trade?.

The Chinese Academy of Engineering claims that the 'legal' wildlife industry is valued at $74 billion. South Africa is the largest exporter of live wild animals to Asia. At least 5 035 live wild animals were exported from South Africa to China between 2016 and 2019, according to The Breaking Point report published by the EMS Foundation and Ban Animal Trading (BAT).

Thursday, 11 June 2020
2020. Deputy director, brother arrested for illegal hunting.

The Namibian Police arrested a deputy director in the Ministry of Lands at its Gobabis sub-regional office for her role in the alleged illegal hunting of an oryx valued at N$6 000. Mclesia Mbaisa (49) who heads the Division of Land Reform was arrested alongside her brother Marvin Mbaisa (36) and Rudolf Katjiuanjo (35) following the illegal hunting of the wild animal at Heath Bell resettlement farm in the Gobabis district.

Thursday, 4 June 2020
Shikongo A 2020. 16 Namibians nabbed for Wildlife crime.

The report, which is jointly compiled by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism's intelligence and investigations unit and the protected resources division of the Namibian Police, detailed that the seven cases saw the arrest of 16 suspects. All those apprehended are Namibian nationals. Of those arrested, 11 were in connection with rhino poaching or trafficking, two in connection with elephant poaching or trafficking, two for the hunting of giraffe, and one for contravening the Arms and Ammunition Act. Among the wildlife products seized were six rhino…

Wednesday, 3 June 2020
Boyle L 2020. Confront illegal wildlife trafficking with international criminal laws, former global trade chief says.

The former head of the global convention on international wildlife trade says that current rules surrounding legitimate enterprise “don’t cut it” to prevent future pandemics and that wildlife crime should be confronted with the same international legal force that tackles human trafficking and terrorism. John Scanlon served as Secretary-General of the Secretariat overseeing the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) from 2010 until 2018. CITES is affiliated with the United Nations Environment Programme…

Tuesday, 2 June 2020
2020. Wild- en veediewe teiken Omaruru-boere.

Omaruru se boere loop deur onder wild- en veediewe.

Omaruru's farmers targeted by wildlife and livestock thieves.

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