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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 - 26 of 26
Sunday, 25 July 2021
Boois C 2021. Poacher caught red-handed at agricultural college farm.

A 29-year-old male suspect was arrested in the Rehoboth constituency on charges of illegal hunting and possession of game meat without a permit. Crime investigation coordinator of the Namibian Police in the Hardap region deputy commissioner Eric Clay confirmed the arrest. The suspect is charged with illegal poaching after he was found in possession of a gemsbok worth N$8 000 and a warthog worth N$2 500. It is not clear if the animals were still alive.

Thursday, 22 July 2021
Smit E 2021. 10 more arrested for wildlife crimes in July.

At Sangwali, a Namibian was arrested on 6 July for being in possession of one impala carcass. Oscar Munyandi was charged with illegal hunting of special protected species. In another matter, a Namibian, Simuna Kankona, was arrested on 12 July with two python skins, and charged for the illegal possession and dealing of controlled wildlife products. On 13 July, Mathews Hamusira, a Namibian citizen, was arrested at Rundu for being in possession of a pangolin skin.

Thursday, 22 July 2021
2021. Acht Festnahmen in einer Woche.

Eight suspects were arrested in connection with six wildlife crime cases in the past week. According to the Ministry of Environment's wildlife crime statistics, 13 wildlife products were confiscated. On July 12, a Namibian with two python skins was arrested. The following day, a Namibian national was arrested in Rundu for being in possession of a pangolin armor. A Zambian national with four tusks was also arrested in Katima Mulilo on July 15. On the same day, a man with three tusks was arrested in Kahenge, as well as a Namibian in Outjo, because he was in possession of an oryx…

Friday, 16 July 2021
Smit E 2021. Nege verdagtes weens wildmisdaad vasgetrek.

Op 20 Junie is 'n Namibiër op Rundu in hegtenis geneem toe 'n ietermagovel in sy besit gevind is. By die Etosha Nasionale Park se King Nehale-hek is twee Namibiërs op 21 Junie in hegtenis geneem omdat hulle onwettig in die besit van 'n elandkarkas was. In 'n ander voorval by Omahenene is 'n Angolese burger en 'n Namibiër op 22 Junie in hegtenis geneem toe hulle met 22 ietermagovelle betrap is terwyl daar op 'n handwapen sowel as vyf rondes ammunisie beslag gelê is. Intussen is nog 'n Namibiër op 24 Junie op Oshakati in hegtenis geneem nadat hy met drie olifanttande…

Thursday, 15 July 2021
2021. Wildtierprodukte beschlagnahmt.

Am 20. Juni wurde ein Namibier in Rundu verhaftet, weil er im Besitz eines Schuppentierpanzers war. Am König-Nehale-Tor des Etosha-Nationalparks wurden am 21. Juni zwei Namibier wegen illegalen Besitzes eines Elenantilopen-Kadavers verhaftet. Bei einem weiteren Vorfall beim Grenzkontrollposten Omahenene wurden am 22. Juni ein angolanischer Staatsbürger und ein Namibier mit 22 Schuppentierpanzern verhaftet, während ein Revolver sowie fünf Schuss scharfe Munition beschlagnahmt wurden. In der Zwischenzeit wurde in Oshakati am 24.

Wednesday, 14 July 2021
Smit E 2021. Nine arrested with 28 illegal wildlife products.

On 20 June, a Namibian was arrested at Rundu for being in the possession of a pangolin skin. At Etosha National Park's King Nehale gate, two Namibians were arrested on 21 June for illegally being in the possession of an eland carcass. In another incident at Omahenene, an Angolan national and a Namibian were arrested on 22 June with 22 pangolin skins, while a revolver pistol as well as five rounds of live ammunition were confiscated.

Friday, 9 July 2021
Oduor S 2021. Kenya: Tana River Court hands 15-year sentence to dik-dik poachers.

A court in Garsen, Tana River County has sentenced three men to 15 years in prison each for poaching. In the ruling made on Thursday, the court also imposed a fine of Sh3 million for each of the men on three accounts. Sharif Ngala (39), Kingi Charo (25) and Baraka Thoya (20) pleaded guilty to poaching 140 dik-diks, three teramuks and porcupine meat before senior principal magistrate Paul Rotich.

Tuesday, 6 July 2021
Mkanyika L 2021. Kenya: Three jailed 16 years each for poaching of 187 dik-diks.

A Voi court has sentenced three people found guilty of poaching 187 dikdiks in Tsavo East National Park to 16 years in prison each. In the ruling made on Monday, the court also imposed a fine of Sh2.2 million. Kaviha Charo, Katana Unda and Bugo Suluhu will serve their jail terms at Manyani Maximum Security Prison in Voi, Taita Taveta County.

Sunday, 4 July 2021
2021. Rwandese nationals sentenced to 12 years in jail for poaching.

Two Rwandese nationals identified as Habimana Sabanitah and Sobomana Augustine have been sentenced to 12 years in jail for illegal entry and killing of protected wildlife species. The two, both residents of Rwamwanja refugee settlement in Kamwenge district, were found in possession of a dead bush buck inside Katonga Wildlife Reserve.

Monday, 27 July 2020
Smit E 2020. Securing a poaching scene.

Intelligence Support Against Poaching (ISAP) recently held a course on how to handle a poaching scene correctly. The animal crime scene and evidence handling course took place from 16 to 19 July, and was presented by Wildlife Vets Namibia. Participants included veterinarians, lodge managers, wildlife farmers, members of crime prevention forums, hunting farm owners, students and representatives of the tourism industry.

Monday, 27 July 2020
Paulino C 2020. Dismantled poaching net and gun snipers.

In all, 11 nationals, including firearm suppliers, poachers and game vendors, were arrested last week in Luengue-Luiana National Park, Cuando Cubango province.

Thursday, 23 July 2020
2020. Beweismaterial besser handhaben.

Die Anti-Wilderei-Initiative ISAP (Intelligence Support Against Poaching) und „Wildlife Vets Namibia“ haben einen Kurs zur besseren Aufklärung von Wildtierverbrechen durch die Handhabung von Beweisen angeboten. Die Teilnehmer des Kurses, der bei der ISAP-Einrichtung stattfand, erhielten Information über die Wilderei sowie einen Einblick in die Komplexität der Beweisfindung. Als Hauptziel gilt, die Polizei durch die ordnungsgemäße Sicherung eines Tatorts und von Beweisen zu unterstützen.

Thursday, 23 July 2020
2020. Wilderei weiterhin ein Problem.

Bewohner aus den informellen Siedlungen in Windhoek wildern häufig im Daan-Viljoen-Park und stellen somit eine ständige Bedrohung für das betroffene Wildreservat dar.

Residents of the informal settlements in Windhoek frequently poach in Daan-Viljoen Park and thus pose a constant threat to the affected game reserve.

Wednesday, 22 July 2020
2020. Securing a poaching scene - the right way.

What should a farmer, lodge manager, landowner or a farm worker do when he stumbles across a poaching scene? Participants of the Animal Crime Scene and Evidence Handling Course received detailed answers to this question while gaining insight into the complexity of gathering evidence. During the course, participants were reminded that they are neither police officers nor experts in collecting evidence.

Wednesday, 22 July 2020
2020. Windhoek game park under threat.

The Daan Viljoen game park is under constant threat from communities living in the informal settlements of Windhoek who enter the park illegally for poaching. Daan Viljoen is situated 25km west of Windhoek and informal settlements such as Agste Laan and Goreangab are situated near the game park. Khomas Governor Laura McLeod-Katjirua, made this statement during the State of the Region Address (SoRA) on Tuesday.

Tuesday, 21 July 2020
2020. Polizei stellt mutmaßliche Wilderer.

Die Polizei hat in der Erongo-Region drei Personen festgenommen, die kürzlich sieben Oryx-Antilopen im Namib-Naukluft-Nationalpark erlegt haben sollen.

Police have arrested three people in the Erongo region who are said to have recently killed seven oryx in the Namib-Naukluft National Park.

Monday, 20 July 2020
Hartman A 2020. Three in dock for poaching in Namib.

Three suspected poachers who were arrested last week by Erongo police officers made their first appearance in the Walvis Bay Magistrate's court last Wednesday. Penrich Gonteb (29), Elvis Anamab (37) and Gerson Mbahuma (49) appeared on charges relating to the contravention of the Nature Conservation Ordinance 4 of 1975 as amended, which includes the prohibition of hunting in game parks and nature reserves; as well as transportation of game without a permit. They were not granted bail and will be held in custody until their next appearance on 29 July.

Wednesday, 15 July 2020
Hartman A 2020. Suspected poachers leave loot, cars in desert.

The police are hunting for suspected poachers who abandoned two bakkies and seven oryx carcasses in the desert before fleeing the scene over the past weekend.

Wednesday, 15 July 2020
2020. Wilderer im Park etappt.

Die Polizei der Erongo-Region fahndet nach mehreren Wilderern, die sieben Oryx-Antilopen in dem Namib-Naukluft-Nationalpark erlegt haben sollen und während des Transports der Tiere erwischt worden seien. Das teilte Erongo-Polizeisprecher Erastus Iikuyu jetzt mit.

The Erongo region police are looking for several poachers who are said to have killed seven oryx in the Namib-Naukluft National Park and were caught during the transport of the animals.

Wednesday, 15 July 2020
2020. Germany mobilizes additional €13m for Namibia to mitigate COVID-19 challenges in conservation, tourism sector.

The German Federal Government has mobilized additional resources of €13 million to support the Namibian Government, through the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, in mitigating the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic in the conservation and tourism sector.

Tuesday, 14 July 2020
Terblanché N 2020. Police hunting for poacher gang.

The discovery of a camouflage uniform of the Namibian Defence Force among the belongings of a gang of poachers has added another aspect to the investigation into illegal hunting in Namibia’s national parks. Members of the public who spotted the poachers attempting to recover a broken down vehicle with the help of a second vehicle from the desert in the vicinity of the Kuiseb Canyon informed the Namibian Police about the suspicious activity. The gang of poachers and the people assisting them to recover the broken down vehicle fled on foot when they spotted the vehicles…

Friday, 10 July 2020
Smit E 2020. Anti-poaching dog unit given teeth.

Four new dogs will be imported from the Netherlands to beef up the environment ministry's anti-poaching dog unit, which has helped arrest suspects in 52 poaching cases so far. The four dogs at Waterberg are trained to search buildings, vehicles, luggage and open areas for firearms, ammunition and illegal wildlife products such as ivory, rhino horn, pangolin scales and bush meat.

Friday, 10 July 2020
Shihepo T 2020. Nam anti-poaching gets 'bite'.

Namibia has recorded a drastic reduction in poaching in the past three years because of improved response mechanisms. Most of the success is attributed to the Environment and Tourism Ministry's efforts to upscale law enforcement components of conservation. Environment and Tourism Minister Pohamba Shifeta said anti-poaching canine units (the Ministry of Environment and Tourism Dog Unit) had been deployed to good effect. "The Dog Unit is part of our anti-poaching initiatives.

Thursday, 9 July 2020
2020. Special cruiser for special unit brings dogs quicker on the trail of poachers.

One of the pillars in the fight against poaching, the K-9 unit of the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, this week received a customised Land Cruiser to make deployment of the tracker dogs faster.

Thursday, 9 July 2020
2020. Anti-poaching drive gets boost from local partners - MEFT Dog Unit contributes to the fight.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism’s anti poaching campaign specifically the Dog Unit, was this week beefed up when they received a Toyota Land Cruiser Double CAB V8 from Standard Bank as well as donations from other organisations. The other organizations namely SWAVET, MDS Animal Health and Rhino Park Private Hospital also donated vital veterinary amenities for the dogs which included drugs and food to the Canine Unit.

Monday, 6 July 2020
Smit E 2020. Optrede teen wildstropery nodig - Implementeer toepaslike wette.

Die Finansiële Aksie-taakmag beskryf in sy eerste verslag oor wildmisdaad dit as 'n internasionale bedreiging wat verbind kan word met georganiseerde misdaad soos slawerny, dwelm- en wapensmokkelary. Volgens die verslag is daar 'n gebrek aan fokus op die finansiële aspek van wildmisdaad en stel voor alle regerings moet wette op geldwassery implementeer. Die studie se bevindings is gebaseer op die insette van 50 lande, Namibië ingesluit, wat lid is van die Oostelike en Suider-Afrika Teengeldwasserygroep (ESAAMLG). 'n Totaal van 22 uit 45 lande het aangedui dat hulle…

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