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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 - 16 of 16
Monday, 20 January 2025
Petersen C 2025. DFFE promises to disrupt local and international poachers operating in SA.

Cape Town - The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) said it would focus on disrupting local and international poaching this year. This comes after Cape Town metro police arrested a suspect for allegedly poaching 250 kilogrammes of abalone in Hout Bay last week. The bust has put a spotlight on poaching in the country. DFFE Minister Dion George commended the City of Cape Town's metro police for retrieving the poached abalone last Thursday. George said he would be making an extra effort to target poachers this year.

Thursday, 16 January 2025
Collins D 2025. Hunting for poachers amid South Africa's bloody wildlife war.
An ongoing and violent poaching crisis threatens some of the country's most iconic wildlife. These are just a few of the men and women who have the grit to fight back
Wednesday, 8 January 2025
Mojela A 2025. Limpopo man in court for illegal possession of pangolin.
Hawks arrest 25-year-old man for possession of endangered pangolin in Limpopo, case postponed to January 14.
Friday, 3 January 2025
2025. Two caught with pangolin skin in Ohangwena.

The police in the Ohangwena region have arrested two men aged 26 and 51 found in possession of pangolin skin worth N$50 000 at Okongo on Tuesday. Ohangwena police crime investigations coordinator, deputy commissioner Melanie Mbuuru, said the suspects were arrested around 11h15 at a shopping complex in the Okongo district. According to Mbuuru, the suspects face charges of the possession of protected game products without a permit. The suspects are expected to appear before the Eenhana Magistrate’s Court this week. Police investigations into the matter continue.

Thursday, 2 January 2025
David M 2025. Two apprehended for possession of pangolin skin.

The Namibian Police Force in the Ohangwena Region has arrested two men, aged 26 and 51, after they were found in possession of pangolin skin in Okongo. Ohangwena Crime Investigation Coordinator, Deputy Commissioner Melanie Mbuuru, said the suspects were arrested around 11:15 at the Pick n Pay complex in the Okongo district on Tuesday. According to Mbuuru, the suspects were found in possession of protected game products without a permit.

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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