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A dispute has erupted in the informal settlement of Tumweneni in the Kavango East region, with residents accusing the settlement committee of unilaterally allowing a Chinese company to cut down five mopane trees. This without the wider community being aware of the matter. However, Max Solar Power Trading cc, the Chinese company at the center of the controversy, denied any wrongdoing. Supervisor Peter Sandanda told Network Media Hub (NMH) that the company had simply helped remove the trees that were seen as harmful or an obstacle.

The Namibian police at Arandis in the Erongo Region arrested two suspects, aged 33 and 37, on Friday for allegedly illegally harvesting indigenous protected plants. The police said a third suspect managed to flee the scene but is known and can be arrested at any time. During an intelligence-led operation near Arandis, the police discovered a campsite where protected indigenous plants were found, namely 55 Elephant's Foot plants (Adenia pechuelii) and five Namib Corkwood plants (Commiphora dinteri).

Plant poaching has been the final straw for some. Conservationists say there’s no time to lose, as they consider an ecological triage for the most at-risk species here. "The most important thing we can do is to reduce other threats on these species, to make sure that the pressure of land transformation, for agriculture, for mining, overgrazing, and, of course, succulent plant poaching, all of these disrupt those systems and really reduce the resilience and the opportunities they have to adapt on their own.

Wildlife crime poses a serious threat to conservation efforts across Africa that rob communities of high-value resources and reduce their benefits from natural resources. The just-released 2023 State of Municipal Conservation Report warns that wildlife crime is occurring at multiple levels, necessitating a widespread response from multiple agencies. "Some wildlife crime takes place at a subsistence level for food or at a commercial level, which then involves crime syndicates and illegal international smuggling, which increases the stakes," the report said.

Tiny plants in plastic pots, each carefully labeled, cram a South African greenhouse. Each is the evidence of at least one crime. These are strange plants without typical stems or leaves. Some look like greenish thumb-tips, others like grapes or rounded stones. Some sprout small, bright flowers. Few are more than an inch tall. I've agreed not to disclose this location because the plants, confiscated from poachers and smugglers, are valuable and could be re-stolen by the same criminal networks that first dug them from their natural habitats to traffic overseas.

Illegal harvesting and trafficking of plants have skyrocketed in Namibia over the past few years. Arrests of suspects for crimes related to plants have increased from three in 2021 to 42 last year. According to the Namibia National Wildlife Protection Report for 2024, Namibian flora is clearly becoming increasingly popular in the ornamental-plant trade, driven by online marketing. Statistics provided in the report showed that 1 211 plant products were seized last year and 18 cases related to plant crimes were registered, while nine cases were finalised.

Illegal harvesting and trafficking of plants have skyrocketed in Namibia over the past few years. Arrests of suspects for crimes related to plants have increased from three in 2021 to 42 last year. According to the Namibia National Wildlife Protection Report for 2024, Namibian flora is clearly becoming increasingly popular in the ornamental-plant trade, driven by online marketing. Statistics provided in the report showed that 1 211 plant products were seized last year and 18 cases related to plant crimes were registered, while nine cases were finalised.

Surging organised wildlife crime syndicates, limitations in wildlife protection, prosecution and sentencing, and inappropriate sentencing are just some of the wildlife crime challenges authorities grapple with in Namibia. According to the Namibia National Report on Wildlife Protection 2023, organised criminal activity appears to be increasing in various sectors involving Namibia's natural resources. The report said that during 2023, complex syndicate operations were investigated related to rhino poaching, live-plant trafficking, illicit timber harvesting and trophy shooting.

When South African officials at Cape Town's international airport came across cardboard boxes labelled as toys being sent to China they became suspicious. China is famous for exporting toys around the world - not importing them. The boxes were opened for a spot check - and instead of finding the promised toddler’s cooking set or a board game inside, they discovered bundles of endangered succulent plants all carefully wrapped in toilet paper.

The Namibian authorities arrested 654 people linked to 389 wildlife-crime cases registered in the country last year. This is according to a 2023 national report on wildlife protection and law enforcement in Namibia completed by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism. The report shows that 96 wildlife-crime court cases were finalised. Twelve cases involving pangolins, eight cases for elephants, four cases involving trees and an additional four cases involving rhinos were finalised in court.