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A court in Vietnam on Tuesday sentenced a man to 13 years in prison for trafficking nearly 10 tons of endangered animal parts from Africa, including ivory and rhino horns, police said. The court in the central coastal city of Danang found Nguyen Duc Tai, 33, guilty of transporting elephant tusks, ivory, pangolin scales and lion bones from Africa to Vietnam in 2021, the police-run ministry of public security said. Trade in ivory is illegal in Vietnam but wildlife trafficking remains widespread.

Der Save The Rhino Trust (SRT) hat im vergangenen Jahr im Auftrag des Ministeriums für Umwelt, Forstwirtschaft und Tourismus (MEFT) seine Arbeit im Nyae Nyae-Schutzgebiet im Nordosten des Landes aufgenommen. Das Gebiet grenzt an den Khaudum-Nationalpark, in dem das MEFT nun mit Unterstützung des SRT hofft, den Schutz der Spitzmaulnashörner verbessern zu können. Für den SRT ist es eine positive Entwicklung: "Die Anfrage des MEFT, unser Rhino Rangers Programm zu verdoppeln, ist eine Anerkennung für den Erfolg des SRT in der Kunene-Region in den letzten vier Jahrzehnten.

Botswana revealed on Monday that it suffered a huge spike in rhino poaching during five years through 2022, translating to about a third of its population of the endangered species. In all, 138 rhinos were slaughtered from 2018 to last year, Tourism minister Philda Kereng told parliament. This compares to two rhinos poached in the preceding five years from 2012 to 2017, according to official figures. Statistics that Kereng presented to parliament showed killings suddenly rose to seven in 2018, before spiking to 30 the following year.

Botswana revealed on Monday that it suffered a huge spike in rhino poaching during five years through 2022, translating to about a third of its population of the endangered species. In all, 138 rhinos were slaughtered from 2018 to last year, Tourism minister Philda Kereng told parliament. This compares to two rhinos poached in the preceding five years from 2012 to 2017, according to official figures. Statistics that Kereng presented to parliament showed killings suddenly rose to seven in 2018, before spiking to 30 the following year.

Transparency and regular communication about rhino numbers and rhino poaching are vital to understand the threat to our rhinos and finding the best ways to conserve them. The most recent rhino population numbers for Africa to the end of 2021, as released by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) last year, showed that white rhino numbers had continued to decline at around 3.1% per year and numbered just below 16 000 animals.

Maputo, 16 Feb (AIM) - Mozambique's Central Office for the Fight against Organised and Transnational Crime (GCCCOT) has filed charges against two poachers, currently being held in preventive detention. According to a GCCCOT press release, the two men (who were not named) were caught on 27 July last year in possession of four rhinoceros horns with an estimated value on the black market of 243,600 US dollars.

A group of private game farmers, Help our Rhino Now Namibia (HoRN.nam), is offering a reward of N$100 000 for information leading to the arrest of poachers who shot a rhino at a farm near Windhoek. HoRN.nam said in a media statement on Wednesday that rhino poaching has escalated in Namibia over the past 18 months. The organisation says this poses a real and critical threat to the well-being and future survival of Namibian rhino populations.

A 33-year-old man has been jailed for five years after being caught transporting rhino horns to Johannesburg on June 22 last year.

Zimbabweans have been implicated as chief architects of a recent spike in rhino poaching in South Africa. The South African Department of Correctional Services identified the Zimbabwean poachers as Nhamo Muyambo, Francis Chitho, Trymore Chauke, Lubuyo September, Abraham Moyane, Simba Masinge and Bennet Kwamle. International Rhino Foundation (IRF) communications director Christopher Whitlatch said: "Zimbabwean rhino poachers have been involved in major illegal activities in South Africa.

The parks and reserves in Pretoria did not lose a single rhino in 2022, said Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Barbara Creecy.

Two hundred kilogrammes of shark fin were seized at Maputo International Airport two weeks ago, but the case is still under investigation and the Director general of Mozambique’s National Administration for Conservation Areas (ANAC), Celmira da Silva said he could not provide further details on the subject. Integrity Magazine tried to question who owned the cargo as well as its origin and final destination, but without success.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) says the transnational organised crime networks targeting large conservation areas across Southern Africa remain a serious concern. The WWF was reacting to the 2022 rhino poaching statistics which saw a 40% decline compared to 2021 in the Kruger Park and other national parks across the country.

The Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife conservation agency has, up till now, opted to not dehorn its rhinos to protect them from poachers. But that could change soon, following another year of relentless killings in which the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park emerged as the current rhino poaching hotspot, globally. The latest poaching figures released by national Environment Minister Barbara Creecy show that 244 rhinos were killed by horn poachers in KwaZulu-Natal in 2022 - the vast majority of them in the HIP.

The bad news is that poaching shifted to KwaZulu-Natal, where 244 animals were killed last year - 228 of them in provincial parks and 16 on private reserves. "The steady decline in rhino poaching in national parks is related to the relentless war that has been waged by our anti-poaching machinery, as well as a comprehensive dehorning programme," said Creecy. While the brave men and women in the front line in our anti-poaching units put their lives on the line to tackle the poachers, little is being done, seemingly, to bring the kingpins to book.

A 47-year-old accused will appear in the Kabokweni Magistrate Court on Tuesday, 7 February 2023, after his DNA was linked to rhino horns found during a search and seizure operation.

Botswana's government has presented to the ongoing CITES CoP-19 in Panama a detailed document on the country's efforts to contain rhino poaching which increased at least 100 fold between 2018 and 2020. The country recorded two rhino poaching incidents in the five years between 2012 and 2017 with zero incidents reported in 2012, 2014, 2015, and 2017.

A total of 87 rhinos were poached last year, of which 45 were killed in the Etosha National Park. This is according to new statistics released by the environment and tourism ministry, which show that last year, 61 black rhinos and 26 white rhinos were killed. In 2022, poaching cases included 15 rhinos poached on custodianship farms and another 25 white rhinos on private farms. Namibia recorded 45 rhinos poached in 2021, 43 in 2020, 61 in 2019, 84 in 2018 and 55 in 2017. So far this year, one rhino has been poached. Meanwhile, four elephants were killed last year.

Mpumalanga provincial head of the Hawks, Major General Nico Gerber has welcomed the arrest of the 14th accused person, 24-year-old Nkateko Maluleke who was wanted in a case of money laundering, where field rangers allegedly provided tactical information to rhino poachers in the Kruger National Park.

A total of 87 rhinos were poached last year, of which 45 were killed in the Etosha National Park. This is according to new statistics released by the environment and tourism ministry, which show that last year, 61 black rhinos and 26 white rhinos were killed. In 2022, poaching cases included 15 rhinos poached on custodianship farms and another 25 white rhinos on private farms. Namibia recorded 45 rhinos poached in 2021, 43 in 2020, 61 in 2019, 84 in 2018 and 55 in 2017. So far this year, one rhino has been poached. Meanwhile, four elephants were killed last year.

Relentless pressure forces rhino poachers to abandon national parks in 2022, says Creecy South Africa's relentless fight against rhino poaching in the Kruger Park and other national parks saw a decline in poaching numbers across the country. In 2022, 124 rhino were killed in the Kruger National Park.

The Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DFFE) has reported that relentless pressure has forced rhino poachers to abandon parks in 2022.

The police in the Eastern Cape are searching for poachers who shot, killed, and dehorned two rhinos on a safari farm in Paterson on Wednesday evening, 1 February.

Two rhinos were brutally shot and killed on a safari farm in Paterson late in the evening on Wednesday, earlier this week in the Sarah Baartman District. The poachers had managed to find a way into the farm before stalking, shooting and killing the adult rhinos, thereafter de-horning both of them. A police report told that the two rhinos, one male and the other female, were last spotted during an afternoon game drive. They were only found dead by game rangers the following afternoon while more tourists came through on another game drive.

Two rhinos that survived a poaching attack at Schotia Safaris Private Game Reserve, near Nanaga, nearly 10 years ago were killed by poachers on Thursday. After disabling the pair of male and female white rhinos in the attack, the poachers hacked off their horns with pangas before making their escape.

Rhinos may look formidable, but their species have declined due to continuous poaching in Nambia and South Africa. Rhinos, mainly the black rhinos, have dealt with population declines due to threats of illegal trade, poaching, habitat loss and infrastructure development. The population of rhinos is critically endangered. Without immediate actions and protection efforts, it would lead to sudden extinction. The economic and political issues in places where Rhinos thrive make it more difficult for conservation efforts.

A Mozambican man, convicted for poaching, will spend the next 18 years in prison. Santos Baloyi, 31, was arrested after a rhino was killed at Kruger National Park in September. He was also convicted on charges of trespassing, contravention of the Immigration Act, possession of a dangerous weapon.

Rhino poaching has decreased by almost 53% in the first six months of 2020, with 166 animals being killed for their horns across the country since the beginning of the year. During the first six months of 2019, 316 rhino had been poached in South Africa.

"They just get out on bail and do it again" - this is a widespread public sentiment regarding crime in Namibia, and wildlife crime in particular. There are many misconceptions about law enforcement and the judiciary. Bail is just one of them. At the end of 2019, the number of suspects out on bail amounted to less than 20% for all crimes related to high-value wildlife (pangolin, elephant, rhinos).

Volgens die weeklikse wildmisdaadverslag vanaf 20 tot 26 Julie van die Namibiese polisie en die ministerie van die ­omgewing, bosbou en toerisme, is twee ­verdagtes in verband met renosterstropery of horingsmokkelary in hegtenis geneem. Mnre. Murumbua Vetjesavi en Richard Kandjii is by Otjondjeka in ­hegtenis geneem en beslag is op twee renosterhorings en 'n voertuig gelê.

Canadian gold miner, B2Gold on Wednesday announced the launch of its Namibian Rhino Gold Bar campaign in North America to support the conservation and protection of the critically endangered black rhinos.

Es wurden sechs neue Fälle von Wildtierkriminalität und 13 Verhaftungen in diesem Zusammenhang für die vergangene Woche registriert.

Six new wildlife crime cases and 13 related arrests have been recorded for the past week.

B2Gold Corp. is pleased to announce the launch of its Namibian Rhino Gold Bar campaign in North America to help support the conservation and protection of the critically endangered black rhinos, and the communitybased rhino rangers and trackers who protect the rhinos, in Namibia, Southern Africa.

Thirteen suspects have been arrested for wildlife crimes and six new cases were opened within the past two weeks. A total of 19 illegal wildlife products were confiscated in these crimes, according to information provided by the intelligence and investigation unit within the environment ministry and the protected resource division within the safety and security ministry. Five vehicles were also seized.

'n Man met dubbele burgerskap en twee identiteite wat met die rooftog van 33 renosterhorings uit 'n kluis in 'n huis op Outjo in September 2019 verbind word, is in Februarie by die Suid-Afrikaanse grenspos, Vioolsdrift, met twee renosterhorings vasgetrek.

A man with dual citizenship and two identities connected to the robbery of 33 rhino horns from a safe in a house on Outjo in September 2019, was arrested at the South African border post, Vioolsdrift, in February with two rhino horns.

Een verdagte, mnr. Matheus Mukoya Katjire, is verlede Woensdag op Divundu in verband met olifantstropery of ivoorsmokkelary vasgetrek en twee olifanttande is gekonfiskeer.

A suspect, Mr. Matheus Mukoya Katjire, was arrested last Wednesday on Divundu in connection with elephant poaching or ivory smuggling and two elephant tusks were confiscated.

Gunshot technology ShotSpotter is being used to deter rhino poaching in Kruger National Park, helping authorities reduce unsanctioned killings by 60% inside the park’s Intensified Protection Zone (IPZ). South Africa, which holds nearly 80% of the world's rhinos, has been the country hit hardest by poaching criminals, with more than 1 000 rhinos killed each year between 2013 and 2017. Kruger is a critical poaching area.

Intelligence Support Against Poaching (ISAP) recently held a course on how to handle a poaching scene correctly. The animal crime scene and evidence handling course took place from 16 to 19 July, and was presented by Wildlife Vets Namibia. Participants included veterinarians, lodge managers, wildlife farmers, members of crime prevention forums, hunting farm owners, students and representatives of the tourism industry.

The self-proclaimed prophet Jackson Babi (30) and his co-accused Frizans Naululu Dumeni (25) have approached the court to be released on bail. They appeared before Magistrate Linus Samunzala in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on Friday. The court gallery was packed to the rafters with Babi’s supporters. The court scheduled their bail hearing to 30 July, further issuing an order to have the two accused transferred from the Dordabis police station to the Windhoek police station for their bail hearing.

A self-styled 'prophet' who has been in police custody for the past two months after being arrested on charges of rhino poaching and dealing in or possessing two rhino horns, is planning to apply for bail this week. Jackson Babi, who uses the title 'prophet' and is the founder of the House of Joy Ministries evangelical religious group in Windhoek, will launch a bail application in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court on Thursday, defence lawyer Kadhila Amoomo informed magistrate Linus Samunzala during a court appearance by Babi and a co-accused, Frizans Naululu Dumeni, on Friday…

The Director of the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) Brigadier Peter Magosi has defended government’s decision to dehorn Botswana’s rhinos as an anti-poaching control measure. Magosi has said the dehorning of rhinos was the only way they could ensure protection of the animals from poachers.

Ten suspects were arrested recently in connection with wildlife crimes and four new cases have been registered. Seven of the suspects were arrested for elephant poaching or trafficking cases, while another suspect was arrested in connection with a rhino poaching case.

Die Anti-Wilderei-Initiative ISAP (Intelligence Support Against Poaching) und „Wildlife Vets Namibia“ haben einen Kurs zur besseren Aufklärung von Wildtierverbrechen durch die Handhabung von Beweisen angeboten. Die Teilnehmer des Kurses, der bei der ISAP-Einrichtung stattfand, erhielten Information über die Wilderei sowie einen Einblick in die Komplexität der Beweisfindung. Als Hauptziel gilt, die Polizei durch die ordnungsgemäße Sicherung eines Tatorts und von Beweisen zu unterstützen.

The Rhino Files are periodic articles exploring the complexity of rhino conservation in Namibia. "We aim to detect criminal activity and arrest poachers before a rhino is killed." This might sound overly-ambitious, but Barry de Klerk knows it's possible. Operation Blue Rhino has made over 100 pre-emptive arrests in around 30 cases since its inception in mid-2018. Would-be poachers are being caught before they can kill a rhino. Pro-active law enforcement has saved dozens of animals.

The world is dealing with an unbelievable spike in the illegal wildlife trade, one that in many ways threatens the past few decades of gains in conservation efforts. To combat the rising threat from poaching, conservationists have devised several strategies, some of which have been greatly effective.

Tien verdagtes is in hegtenis geneem in verband met wildmisdaad en vier nuwe sake is aanhangig gemaak. Sewe van die verdagtes is in hegtenis geneem vir olifantstropery of -handel, terwyl ’n ander verdagte gearresteer is in verband met renosterstropery.

Ten suspects have been arrested in connection with game crime and four new cases have been filed. Seven of the suspects were arrested for elephant poaching or trafficking, while another suspect was arrested in connection with rhino poaching.

What should a farmer, lodge manager, landowner or a farm worker do when he stumbles across a poaching scene? Participants of the Animal Crime Scene and Evidence Handling Course received detailed answers to this question while gaining insight into the complexity of gathering evidence. During the course, participants were reminded that they are neither police officers nor experts in collecting evidence.

Annual illicit income generated from ivory and rhino horn trafficking between 2016 and 2018 was estimated at US$400 million and US$230 million respectively. The illegal global trade in ivory and rhino horn has declined, while trafficking of pangolins has soared, according to a United Nations report based on four years of data.

The International Rhino Foundation (IRF) has awarded emergency grants totalling nearly $150,000 to six wildlife organisations in Southern Africa following severe budget shortfalls as a result of the loss of tourism income in the region.

Sars said the consignment of six boxes, containing the horns that had been concealed in carbon paper and foil, was destined for Kuala Lampur in Malaysia.