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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.

Explore your search results using the filter checkboxes, or amend your search or start a new search.

Displaying results 1 - 11 of 11
Wednesday, 27 December 2023
Haripersad D 2023. US rhino trade activist arrested for possession of horns without documentation after 16-hour raid.

The Texan faces accusations of violating South African law after several carcasses were found that had no paperwork. A controversial figure in the rhino horn trade debate was arrested last week after more than 20 rhino carcasses were found at his game farm in Limpopo. The arrest of Derek Lewitton was made by the Hawk, after they investigated his Harmony game farm for more than 16 hours. During the searches, members of the Hawks discovered multiple rhino carcasses missing their horns.

Sunday, 24 December 2023
2023. Heroic arrest at KZN game reserve: Rhino poacher caught in the act after killing White Rhino, injuring ranger.

A rhino poacher who was in the process of sawing o the horn of a White Rhino at the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park (HiP) in KwaZulu-Natal has been arrested just moments after he shot the majestic beast. During the arrest, the HiP Park Manager, Amos Khetha Tembe was injured and was rushed to hospital. The rhino also succumbed to its injuries from the bullets pumped into it by the poacher.

Thursday, 21 December 2023
Smit E 2023. Rhino poaching decreased by half.

Environment ministry executive director Teofilus Nghitila says 48 rhinos have been poached so far this year. The figure shows a decrease from the 92 animals poached last year. Meanwhile, eight elephants were poached this year - compared to four last year - but this still much better than the previous years' figures, which reached 27 in 2018. The ministry – in collaboration with various law enforcement agencies - set up a response team when poaching skyrocketed in 2013.

Wednesday, 20 December 2023
Walters T 2023. Turning the tide? 'We’ve lost just one rhino in 350 days' - Sabi Sand.

South Africa's most exclusive enclave of private nature reserves reveals their hidden security nerve centre - and shows what they've done to thwart horn poachers for nearly a record year.

Sunday, 17 December 2023
Smit E 2023. Organised crime low in Namibia - Report.

Namibia's average criminal market score was 4.1, an increase of 0.2 since 2021. The country scored 3.5 on human trafficking and 4.5 in arms trafficking. For flora crimes, Namibia scored 6.5, and for fauna crimes - which would include rhino poaching and the linked trade in horns - it scored 4.5.

Saturday, 16 December 2023
Viljoen B 2023. Alleged rhino poaching kingpin Big Joe granted bail.

An alleged rhino poacher who has been in custody for the past six months was granted bail last week.

Monday, 4 December 2023
2023. Namibia sees rhino poaching drop as elephants face increased threat.

Namibia experienced a decrease in rhino poaching this year, registering 42 cases compared to 87 the previous year, but saw an increase in elephant poaching, reaching eight cases, up from four the year before, an official said Monday. In an interview with Xinhua, the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said that while rhino poaching numbers have decreased by half, elephant poaching numbers are on the rise. "Poaching is dynamic. While we are winning the fight against the illegal killing of rhinos, elephant poaching is picking up," he said.

Monday, 21 September 2015
2015. Chinese rhino poaching suspects in court.

Details about the origins of a rhino poaching syndicate and their modus operandi are emerging in a Namibian court case. By Oxpeckers Reporters in Windhoek.

Friday, 18 September 2015
Smit E 2015. Rhino case postponed over video.

The trial in which four Chinese nationals stand accused of trying to smuggle 14 rhino horns out of Namibia has been postponed until next month after the defence objected to the screening of video footage yesterday. Although the court was prepared and ready to view a video recording submitted by the State, the defence argued that the recording had no forensic significance.

Friday, 11 September 2015
Smit E 2015. Two more black rhinos slaughtered.

The slaughter of Namibia’s rhino population continues unabated, with two more black rhinos killed. The latest poaching of two black rhino bulls in the Epacha Game Reserve last month brought to more than 70 the number of rhinos killed in the country. The spokesperson of the Namibian Police, Deputy Commissioner Edwin Kanguatjivi, said the first rhino bull was found at Epacha Farm on August 23 with its horns still intact.

Tuesday, 1 September 2015
2015. Tanzanian and Namibians arrested for rhino poaching.

Namibian Sun has reliably learned that the Swapo Politburo held a lengthy meeting yesterday afternoon after being served with founding affidavits by the so-called Swapo Four. Elijah Ngurare, Job Amupanda, George Kambala and Dimbulukeni Nauyoma, who were expelled from Swapo last month, are challenging the move in the High Court. According to unnamed sources, the option of an out-of-court settlement was considered at the meeting.

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