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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 - 18 of 18
Wednesday, 30 November 2022
Reiter C 2022. Wilderei der vergangenen Woche.

In der vergangenen Woche wurden vier neue Fälle der Wildtierkriminalität gemeldet, und sechs Verdächtige wurden im Zusammenhang mit diesen Straftaten verhaftet. Dies geht aus einem Bericht der Abteilung für geschützte Ressourcen, der namibischen Polizei, des Innenministeriums und des Umweltministeriums hervor. Am 22. November wurde der 46-jährige Tende Ngongo bei Rundu festgenommen, weil er im Besitz von 37 Kudu-Fleischstücken war. Der Mann wurde angeklagt, gegen die Naturschutzverordnung verstoßen zu haben und nicht in der Lage zu sein, den Besitz zufriedenstellend zu erklären…

Thursday, 24 November 2022
Smit E 2022. Seven arrested for old wildlife crime cases.

Seven suspects were arrested last week in connection with old wildlife crime cases. This is according to weekly wildlife crime statistics issued by the protected resource division and the intelligence and investigation unit within the safety and environment ministries. On 19 November, two Namibian men, Festus Amunyela and Mekondjo Tsillinus, were arrested at Oshivelo for conspiring to poach a rhino on 16 June. In another incident, Angolan national Ndango Nicolaus was arrested on 17 November in Rundu for being in possession of a pangolin on 4 August.

Thursday, 24 November 2022
Vatileni E 2022. Seven arrested for wildlife crime in one week.

Six people were arrested for rhino poaching, and one suspect for being in possession of a pangolin skin, states the report.

Monday, 21 November 2022
2022. Zimbabweans arrested at border with an elephant tusk and pangolin.

Two Zimbabwean nationals were arrested after crossing into South Africa on a boat and were found in possession of a pangolin and an elephant tusk.

Thursday, 17 November 2022
Motlhoka T 2022. Botswana man arrested for possession of live pangolin.

Botswana' Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) has confirmed the recent arrest of a man found in possession of a live pangolin in the capital Gaborone. The department says the incident was reported to them by the Botswana Police, raising concern about the continued poaching of pangolins.

Thursday, 3 November 2022
2022. Botswana records 30 cases of illegal pangolin trade between 2015 and 2022.

Gaborone, Nov. 2: Pangolin poaching activities in Botswana over the last seven years are a cause for concern, an official with Botswana's Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) said on Wednesday. Kabelo Senyatso, the director of the DWNP, told Xinhua in an interview that Botswana is grappling with illegal pangolin trade.

Wednesday, 2 November 2022
Swaby N 2022. 2 foreign nationals sentenced in Seattle for trafficking ivory and rhinoceros horn.

The multi-billion-dollar industry of illegally trafficking wildlife was front and center in federal court on Tuesday morning. The Homeland Security investigation led to two foreign nationals being arrested in Edmonds in November of 2021. On Tuesday, Herdade Lokua learned he would spend the next 20 months in prison, and Jospin Mujangi was sentenced to 14 months. The investigation led to the seizure of $3.5 million worth of elephant ivory, white rhinoceros horn, and pangolin scales.

Monday, 31 October 2022
Nafiu A 2022. Court convicts Vietnamese for trafficking in pangolin scales.

The judge sentenced Nguyen to 3 months imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to two counts charge preferred against him by the NCS. The convict was brought before the court on charges of acting in contravention of Nigeria Customs and Excise Management Act and unlawful possession of Pangolin scales, a specimen specified in the First Schedule to the Endangered Species Act.

Wednesday, 26 October 2022
Schrieber S 2022. Pangolin Crisis: Poaching and selling of endangered species continues in Pretoria.

Police thwarted an illegal pangolin sale worth thousands in the east of Pretoria with the help of an environmental activist. Police spokesperson Yeroboam Mbantsane said the environmental activist from the African Pangolin Working Group disguised himself as a potential buyer and approached two men, aged 34 and 27, from the Northern Cape who were selling a live pangolin.

Thursday, 20 October 2022
Reiter C 2022. Vier Fälle von Wildtierkriminalität in zwei Tagen gemeldet.

In der vergangenen Woche wurden vier neue Fälle der Wildtierkriminalität gemeldet, und fünf Verdächtige wurden im Zusammenhang mit diesen Straftaten verhaftet. Dies geht aus einem Bericht der Abteilung für geschützte Ressourcen, der namibischen Polizei, des Innenministeriums und des Umweltministeriums hervor. Dem Bericht zufolge wurden insgesamt acht Wildtierprodukte beschlagnahmt, darunter Duiker-Kadaver, Elefantenstoßzähne und lebende Schuppentiere.

Wednesday, 19 October 2022
2022. Five arrested in relation to four wildlife crimes.

Four newly registered wildlife crime cases have been made between 11 and 12 October and five Namibian men were arrested in relation to these cases. This was revealed by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism's weekly wildlife crime statistics. These statistics indicate that two elephant tusks, two live pangolins and four full duiker carcasses were confiscated after the arrest of the suspects, which took place in the Oshana, Kavango East and Omaheke regions.

Tuesday, 11 October 2022
2022. Pangolin rescued in Boksburg.

A multi-disciplinary operation successfully recovered a pangolin and arrested three suspects on October 9 in Trichardts Road, Boksburg.

Monday, 10 October 2022
2022. Environmental crime is world's third most lucrative crime.

With environmental crime ranking as the world’s third largest illegal trade, INTERPOL has joined calls at the United for Wildlife (UfW) global summit for enhanced collective efforts against the criminal syndicates behind wildlife crime and its impact on communities and biodiversity. Poaching and trafficking undermine the rule of law and economic development.

Saturday, 8 October 2022
Labutte D 2022. Pangolin trafficking is rife in Bronkhorstspruit and Cullinan area.

Pangolin trafficking in the Bronkhorstspruit area is at an all-time high. Three of these animals were rescued in the Bronkhorstspruit and Cullinan area in September, while court cases in which pangolin traffickers are being prosecuted are also underway in both the Bronkhorstspruit Regional Court and the Cullinan Regional Court.

Friday, 7 October 2022
Heita J 2022. Only 36 arrests for rhino poaching this year compared to 80 in 2021.

Only 36 people have been arrested for rhino-related poaching cases this year, compared to 80 last year. This was revealed by environment minister Pohamba Shifeta as the ministry received a donation of 10 vehicles, park management and law enforcement equipment worth approximately N$ 21.7 million funded by the Integrated National Park Management II (NamParks V and Covid-19 Fund) and Integrated Wildlife Protection (IWPP) projects. In contrast, 55 rhinos have been poached this year, compared to 44 in 2021. Two elephants have been poached so far this year compared to eight in 2021.

Friday, 7 October 2022
Gallagher C 2022. Malaysian group sanctioned for 'cruel trafficking' of ivory, rhino horn and pangolins from Africa.

The US has imposed sanctions against a Malaysian group, accusing it of engaging in "the cruel trafficking of endangered and threatened wildlife and the products of brutal poaching". The Treasury department said on Friday it has designated Malaysian national Teo Boon Ching, the Teo Boon Ching wildlife trafficking transnational criminal organisation and Malaysian company Sunrise Greenland. Teo Boon Ching specialises in the transportation of rhino horn, ivory and pangolins from Africa. It uses routes through Malaysia and Laos to reach customers in Vietnam and China, the department…

Wednesday, 5 October 2022
2022. Rhinos poached this year up to 55 - Ministry receives NS 21.7 million worth of equipment to assist in poaching.

A total of 55 rhinos have been poached to date this year, the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism (MEFT) said Wednesday, adding that the current statistics are deeply concerning. This is compared to a figure of 44 rhinos in 2021, however, 36 people have been arrested for rhino-related cases this year, compared to 80 in 2021, the MEFT Minister Pohamba Shifeta highlighted on the occasion of the handover of 10 vehicles, park management and law enforcement equipment funded by the Integrated National Park Management II (NamParks V and Covid-19 Fund) and Integrated…

Wednesday, 5 October 2022
Vatileni E 2022. Rhino poaching cases on the rise.

The minister of environment, forestry and tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, says 36 people have been arrested for rhino-related cases this year alone. Shifeta was speaking at the handover of 10 vehicles, park management and law enforcement equipment funded by the Integrated National Park Management II (NamParks V and Covid-19 Fund) and Integrated Wildlife Protection projects in Windhoek on Wednesday. According to Shifeta, it is of great concern that 55 rhinos have been poached to date this year. "This is compared to 44 rhinos poached in 2021.

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