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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 - 13 of 13
Tuesday, 31 May 2022
Muchabaiwa T 2022. Three men arrested for pangolin poaching.

Three men travelling through Kadoma will rue the day they caged a pangolin after they were caught in possession of the mammal on Saturday.

Tuesday, 24 May 2022
2022. Nine suspects arrested for possession of a pangolin valued at R250 000.

Midrand police arrested nine suspects on May 19 on New Road, Midrand after they were found with a female pangolin weighing 0.9kg valued at R250 000.

Monday, 23 May 2022
Jube B 2022. Uganda's fight to stop pangolin poaching.

Offenders convicted of crimes related to wildlife species classified as extinct in the wild, or critically endangered, face the highest penalty under Uganda's Wildlife Act 2019 of a Shs20-billion (about US$5,5-million) fine or life imprisonment, or both. Despite this, pangolins are being heavily targeted for poaching and trafficking in the East African country. Data from global wildlife trade monitoring organisation Traffic indicates that between 2012 and 2016, more than 1,400 pangolins were seized by Ugandan authorities.

Friday, 13 May 2022
Kondowe R 2022. Two found with pangolin in Mchinji.

Police in Mchinji have arrested two men for allegedly being found in possession of a live Pangolin. The two have been identified as Mavuto Jophris aged 33 and Mandera Masauso aged 34. The arrest of the two suspects follows a tip off police received on May 12, 2022 that the two were offering for sell a live Pangolin which was concealed in an empty sack and placed in a backpack.

Wednesday, 11 May 2022
Kruger K 2022. Wildsmokkelaars staan vonnis teen.

Twee wildmisdadigers appelleer teen hul skuldigbevinding en vonnisoplegging van twee jaar.

Two game criminals are appealing against their two-year conviction and sentence.

Tuesday, 10 May 2022
Patrick A 2022. Pregnant pangolin survives poachers, focus now on her pangopup.

Last week's sting operation not only saved a young female Temminck's pangolin from the clutches of poachers, but her unborn pangopup too.

Wednesday, 17 March 2021
Smit E 2021. 110 pangolin scales confiscated at Outapi.

The police confiscated 110 pangolin scales when they arrested two men at Outapi on 7 March. The two Namibians, Nikodemus Kotekeni Hafeni Nicodemus and Simon Akwenye, were also found in the possession of one pangolin skin.

Tuesday, 16 March 2021
Maron DF 2021. Wildlife seizures are down - and an illicit trade boom may be coming.

The amount of elephant ivory, rhino horn, and pangolin scales intercepted by authorities in 2020 was far less than compared with the previous five years, according to analysis for National Geographic by the Center for Advanced Defense Studies (C4ADS). The coronavirus pandemic likely dampened both the ability of wildlife traffickers to move their products internationally and of law enforcement to detect them, according to the group, a U.S.

Wednesday, 10 March 2021
Smit E 2021. Six arrested for wildlife crimes.

Six suspects were arrested in connection with wildlife crimes and five new cases were registered recently, while five wildlife products were seized. Two suspects were arrested for rhino poaching or trafficking. Another suspect was arrested for elephant poaching or trafficking. This is according to information provided by the intelligence and investigation unit within the ministry of environment and tourism and the protection resources division within the safety and security ministry. On 28 February, Muronga Hamutima was arrested at Rundu for being in possession of a pangolin skin…

Monday, 8 March 2021
Smit E 2021. 17 arrested for wildlife crimes last month.

A total of 17 suspects were arrested in connection with wildlife crimes and nine new cases were registered last month, while 21 wildlife products were seized. This is according to information provided by the intelligence and investigation unit within the environment ministry and the protected resources division within the safety and security ministry. Wildlife products confiscated included three pangolin skins, two live pangolins, two elephant tusks, four elephant tusk pieces, two hippo teeth, five lechwe carcasses and a giraffe carcass.

Monday, 8 March 2021
2021. Wildtierkriminalität im Februar.

Es wurden acht neue Fälle der Wilderei und 14 Verhaftungen in diesem Zusammenhang für die vergangene Februar registriert. Das geht aus einem Statistikbericht des Umweltministeriums und der namibischen Polizei (NamPol) hervor. "Bei einem der Fälle handelt es sich um den illegalen Besitz von jeweils zwei Elefantenstoßzähnen und Nilpferdzähnen. Der Vorfall ereignete sich in Katutura und zwei Verdächtigte wurden verhaftet," so der Bericht. Der zweite Vorfall habe sich in Oshakati zugetragen, wo vier Teile von Stoßzähnen sowie auch Munition beschlagnahmt worden seien.

Friday, 5 March 2021
2021. Police register eight cases of illegal possession of pangolin products in a month.

The Ministry of Environment and Tourism reports that 14 cases of illegal possession of wildlife products as well as convictions were made between 25 of January to 28 February. Of the 14 cases, eight were for the possession of live pangolins, skins, scales and bones, demonstrating that this nocturnal animal is under serious threat. In Opuwo Tjihepo Tjondo was found guilty on 15 February for possession of one pangolin skin and was ned N$60 000 of which N$3 000 is suspended or six months imprisonment, suspended for three months.

Thursday, 4 March 2021
Naidoo J 2021. Alleged pangolin traffickers arrested in Kyalami while looking for a buyer.

Six alleged pangolin traffickers aged between 30 and 43, were arrested by the Hawks on Wednesday in Kyalami, north of Johannesburg. The arrest came as a result of a collaborative effort between the Hawks' Wildlife Trafficking unit and NGO Pangolin Africa, an initiative of the University of Pretoria.

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