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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 - 19 of 19
Friday, 28 June 2024
Cowan C 2024. Madagascar lemurs, tortoises seized in Thai bust reveal reach of wildlife trafficking.

The recent seizure in Thailand of 48 lemurs and more than 1,200 critically endangered tortoises endemic to Madagascar underscores the global scale of wildlife trafficking networks that use Thailand as a transshipment hub. The operation was aided by intelligence from a joint transnational investigation between Thai law enforcement agencies and international antitrafficking organizations working to dismantle global wildlife trafficking networks spanning Asia, Africa and South America.

Wednesday, 26 June 2024
Hilton P 2024. The hidden ivory trade: hippos under threat amidst rising demand.
When we think of ivory, elephants come to mind. Yet, hippos are also victims of the relentless ivory trade, with their teeth coveted as a legal and cheaper alternative. Investigative photojournalist Paul Hilton ventured to Uganda, uncovering the grim reality: hippo populations are dwindling due to the soaring demand for ivory, primarily trafficked through Hong Kong.
Wednesday, 26 June 2024
Musoke R 2024. From bush to butchery: The game meat value chain in northern Tanzania.

Tanzania is home to wild herds of buffalo, wildebeest, hartebeest, and impala that have been hunted for meat by generations of indigenous communities. In 2019, Tanzania’s late President called on the country’s authorities to establish a mechanism that will allow Tanzania's to access wild meat, counter rampant poaching and illegal bushmeat trade through a pioneering set of national laws. By early 2020, the Game Meat Selling Regulations (GMSR) - new legislation for the legal sourcing, selling, and consumption of wild meat - had come into force.

Friday, 14 June 2024
Musoke R 2024. Wildlife warden decries rise in poaching.

A wildlife warden on Wednesday raised alarm over the increase in poaching and the cutting down of trees at the Badingilo National Park. Speaking to reporters at the park, acting Warden, Maj. Butrus Simon, said the killing of the wildlife and deforestation have been exacerbated by the economic hardship in the country. "The poaching activities inside the park are due to the current situation. You will find that many poachers kill the animals and cut the trees," Simon said.

Tuesday, 4 June 2024
Ndalikokule P 2024. Chinese and Vietnamese transport groups unite in fighting cross-border wildife trafficking.
In an unprecedented event, two major logistics groups from two of the largest exporting countries, the China Express Association (CEA) and the Viet Nam Automobile Transportation Association (VATA), came together to pave the way for greater industry collaboration, especially to work together to curb cross-border illegal wildlife trade.
Sunday, 2 June 2024
2024. Teenager arrested for illegally hunting a warthog.

The Namibian police in the Otjozondjupa Region have arrested a 19-year-old suspect who was allegedly found in possession of a warthog carcass and was unable to explain how it came into his possession. The arrest was made at Farm Euros in the Kombat area on Saturday morning. It is alleged that the suspect entered the farm without the owner's permission and "unlawfully and intentionally" slaughtered a warthog worth N$7,000, which was then found in his possession. Retrieved from the Facebook Site of Informanté.

Saturday, 1 June 2024
2024. Concern over targeting of birds of prey.

People who are shooting birds of prey should be prosecuted, says FreeMe Wildlife, who are on a mission to protect the raptors amid a rise in their killings. Tammy Caine, a raptor specialist at FreeMe Wildlife, said they have recently had two birds of prey - an African harrier hawk and a spotted eagle owl - come in with pellets in their wings. "While the African harrier hawk is still in care, the spotted eagle owl sadly had to be euthanised.

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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