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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 - 7 of 7
Monday, 24 March 2025
Uchechukwu I 2025. C'River: Customs arrest wildlife trafficker with 346 rare bird heads, other specimens.
The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has arrested a wildlife trafficker in Cross River State with 346 rare and exotic bird heads, along with other animal specimens. "The individual was found in possession of 213 parrot heads, 29 packs of parrot feathers, 128 African hornbill heads, and five eagle heads. Additionally, we recovered one pack of eagle feathers, two chimpanzee heads, four chimpanzee hands, and four chimpanzee legs."
Thursday, 20 March 2025
Ali N 2025. Poaching and trafficking on the rise in northern Kenya - threatening endangered giraffe, cheetah and more.
In the remote landscapes of northern Kenya, an alarming wave of poaching and smuggling is pushing iconic wildlife species toward the brink. From reticulated giraffes to hirolas and cheetahs, various endangered species are risking local extinction. A dangerous mix of armed poacher gangs, wildlife trafficking networks, and regional instability is fueling the crisis. With bushmeat demand rising and wildlife smuggling funding militia groups, conservationists warn that urgent action is needed to prevent local extinctions.
Tuesday, 4 March 2025
Ogunade F 2025. Africa: West African wildlife sanctuary becomes a hub of insecurity.

Spanning three countries, the vast W-Arly-Pendjari Complex is being used to facilitate organised crime, terrorism and local conflicts. The W-Arly-Pendjari (WAP) Complex is a vast wildlife sanctuary spanning the intersecting borders of Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger. With one of the most diverse ecosystems in West Africa's savanna belt, it is a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage Site and shelters threatened species such as cheetah, giraffe, wild dog, elephant, lion and leopard.

Friday, 29 April 2022
2022. Two poachers jailed for killing buffalo at Mole National Park.

The Bole District Magistrate Court presided over by His Worship, Edward Essel, has sentenced two poachers who shot and killed a buffalo at the Mole National Park in the West Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region, to 72 days each imprisonment with hard labour.

Thursday, 21 April 2022
Smit E 2022. 38 000 suspects arrested in 2021.

Additionally, 770 suspects were arrested for wildlife crimes. Wildlife products confiscated included 108 elephant tusks, 117 pangolins and 59 rhino horns, while 42 unlicensed firearms used in the commission of wildlife crimes were seized.

Thursday, 14 April 2022
Fugu M 2022. Buffalo killed in Mole National Park: 2 Poachers arrested.

Two poachers have been arrested by rangers of the Mole National Park in the Savannah Region for allegedly poaching and killing a buffalo in the park.

Friday, 8 April 2022
Motlhoka T 2022. Increased movement in wildlife areas reduces poaching activities.

"The absence of tourists in conservation areas enables poachers to act more freely. In normal times, tourists act as additional 'eyes and ears' in conservation areas, and their presence deters poachers from acting, but the decline in tourism activity emboldened poachers," a UK government report on the impact of Covid-19 on poaching has said.

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