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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 - 11 of 11
Tuesday, 30 August 2022
Bega S 2022. Direct jail sentences a win in fight against South Africa wildlife trade.

A six-year jail sentence for a man who smuggled 1 100 Emperor scorpions, 42 Bell's hingeback tortoises and a water lizard. Seventeen years imprisonment for elephant poachers in the Kruger National Park. A 10-year jail sentence for a pangolin poacher. 

Monday, 29 August 2022
Muyamba J 2022. Three nabbed for elephant tusks.

Three Namibian male suspects aged 26, 30 and 33 are due in court after they were arrested on Saturday night in Kavango West for illegal possession of a live pangolin and two elephant tusks.

Wednesday, 24 August 2022
Oghifo B 2022. UNODC concerned Nigeria is primary hub for illicit wildlife products.

There is growing concern that Nigeria, in recent years, has become a primary transit hub for several illicit wildlife and forest products.

Tuesday, 23 August 2022
Mwende S 2022. DCI arrests 3 suspects found in possession of pangolin in Kwale.

DCI detectives based at the Serious Crimes Unit on Tuesday arrested three suspects in Kinango, Kwale County, after being found in possession of a male pangolin.

Thursday, 18 August 2022
Akomolafe B 2022. Nigeria: Breaking yoke of illegal wildlife trafficking.

Despite huge seizures, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is still battling smugglers from China, Vietnam and some South East Asian countries using Nigerian ports and porous borders as transit hub for the transshipment of pangolin scales and ivory. Shipments of pangolin scales intercepted and reported by Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) between 2010 and September 2021 has been put at 190,407 kilogrammes. It was gathered that some seizures in ports of Hong Kong, China, Vietnam and other parts of South East Asia valued at $1.5 billion were traced to Nigeria.

Thursday, 4 August 2022
2022. Nigeria Customs intercepts 397kg of pangolin scales, arrests 8 suspects.

The Nigeria Customs Service, in collaboration with Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC), has intercepted 397.5 Kilogramme of pangolin scales and arrested 8 suspects in connection with the seizure.

Thursday, 27 February 2020
Steynberg F 2020. Drie stroop glo renoster in Etosha:  'Ietermagôsmokkelaars' kry borg.

Vanaf 17 tot 23 Februarie is beslag op twee renosterhorings gelê. Drie vermeende renosterstropers in die Etosha Nasionale Park, mnre. Festus Simon, Johannes Valombola en Efraim Malakia, is op 18 Februarie by Okahao in hegtenis geneem. Volgens die polisie is twee renosterhorings, twee .303-jaggewere, 30 patrone en 'n voertuig gekonfiskeer. 

Thursday, 20 February 2020
2020. 82 arrested for pangolin poaching.

At least 82 people were arrested last year alone and police recovered 17 pangolins and over 1 000 kilogrammes of pangolin scales, as the Zimbabwe Republic Police declares war on wildlife crimes countrywide.

Wednesday, 19 February 2020
Shikongo A 2020. Six arrested for pangolin skin possession.

LAW enforcement agents last week cracked down on six individuals who were found in possession of pangolin skin.

Tuesday, 11 February 2020
African Ietermagog goes to China by the tonnes-load.

A critically endangered Namibian mammal is receiving international attention with the release this week of an investigative report detailing the ongoing largescale tracking in this group of species. The eight species of pangolins or scaly anteaters are found across Africa, the middle East and South Asia. All eight species are widely pouched for their scales, believed by superstitious Orientals to have medicinal value. In fact, the scales are just compressed hair meaning they consist of keratin.

Thursday, 6 February 2020
Denker H 2020. The plight of the Namibian pangolin.

Between 1 January and 31 December 2019, 155 suspects were arrested for being found in possession of pangolins or their parts, attempting to trade these, or aiding and abetting those charged with possession or trafficking. During the same year, law enforcement officers in Namibia confiscated 121 pangolins. About 60% of the pangolins were dead. Most of the animals seized alive could be rehabilitated and released back into the wild.

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