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Nairobi, Kenya - One of two Kenyans wanted for alleged involvement in wildlife and drug trafficking has been arrested in a joint U.S.-Kenyan operation. The U.S. government had announced a reward for information leading to the arrest of Badru Abdul Aziz Saleh. Saleh and Ahmed were accused in the transportation, distribution and smuggling of 190 kilograms of rhinoceros horns and 10 tons of elephant ivory from different African countries.

Durban - A 45-year-old man convicted of rhino poaching was sentenced to 28 years in prison by the Empangeni Regional Court.

The 41-year-old man was arrested by members of the South African Police Service while trying to board a flight to Singapore. A security official at the airport alerted police to suspicious-looking items in the suspect’s hand luggage. Upon further investigation and interrogation of the suspect, police found that the suspect was carrying rhino horn weighing 26kg in his carry-on bag.

Three men convicted on 12 charges related to rhino poaching have been sentenced to a combined 63 years in prison.

Durban - with the number of rhinos killed for their horns in KwaZulu-Natal Ezemvelo Wildlife reserves this year set to surpass poaching deaths for the past two years, a report has been released on what should be done to protect the endangered species. The report was compiled six years ago by a task team that investigated the scourge of rhino poaching and recommended that Ezemvelo beef up its intelligence capacity to combat the crime. It said such an investigation unit could help police and prosecutors secure convictions against those implicated in poaching.

Durban: Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife has expressed disappointment after a man caught with a rhino horn without a permit, received a suspended sentence in court this week.

Commissioned six years ago and kept under lock and key by the Office of the KZN Premier until now, the hidden report into rhino poaching in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) has been partially released to the Democratic Alliance (DA) following extensive pressure. At last count, rhino poaching figures this year so far (just over four months) have surpassed the total for 2021, with 108 rhino killed by poachers for their horns which are smuggled to countries like China and Vietnam.

Revelations by Centre for Environment Justice that there are between 4,000 and 6,000 active poachers in Kafue National Park alone is very distressing not only to wildlife defenders but all Zambians. What is so heart-breaking is the fact that wildlife poaching is not a new phenomenon in Zambia. It dates back to the 1950s, from which time to date over 90 percent of the country's elephants have been killed. Estimates by experts indicate that in the 1980s, elephant numbers dropped from a quarter of a million to just 18,000.

Durban - Since the beginning of the year, 106 rhinos have already been poached according to KwaZulu-Natal Economic Development, Tourism, and Environmental Affairs (Edtea) MEC Ravi Pillay. In a statement on Saturday, Pillay said this comes after a total of 93 rhinos were poached in KZN parks in 2020 and 102 were poached last year.

The United States has not decided on adopting an official position on claims that corruption within Botswana security agencies contributes to the rise of rhino poaching in the country. The US revealed this when commenting on a briefing document submitted by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) at a recent CITES' Standing Committee's 74th meeting (SC74). In its report, EIA claimed that, "corruption allegations within the agencies tasked with addressing the poaching of Botswana’s wildlife are especially concerning."

KwaZulu-Natal is slowly turning into a poachers' paradise with everything from rhinos to pangolins and even warthogs butchered in different parts of the province. A recent parliamentary response by the KZN department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (Edtea) revealed that while 97 rhinos were poached in the province in 2021, a startling 61 rhinos were killed between January 1 and March 25 this year. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife blames budget constraints for the inadequate resources to curb this scourge.

According to Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife’s rhino poaching statistics available on the organisation’s website, a total of 99 have fallen victim to poachers this year.

Last year, 97 rhinos were poached in Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife reserves in 2021. Between January 1 and March 25 this year, 61 have been killed. According to some reports, the tally for the year so far is at least 75.

Two of South Africa's most notorious rhino poachers, the Van Deventer brothers, have been convicted and sentenced in a Limpopo court after pleading guilty to a long list of charges that link them to a trail of poached rhino carcasses discovered over the 2016/17 New Year weekend.

On April 1 the number of rhinos poached in Hluhluwe-uMfolozi Park, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), since the 1st of January was 60. It's just one month later, and that already horrific number has shockingly jumped to 94 (actually 95, as of yesterday). Imagine how many rhinos will now not be born because of those that have been killed in Hluhluwe-uMfolozi just this year! Every rhino counts.

More than 30kg of rhino horn was seized from a female passenger at OR Tambo International Airport after customs officials received a tip-off. But this is by far not the biggest haul - one delivery headed for Malaysia was just shy of 170kg. SARS says more 450kg of rhino horn has been seized from would-be smugglers at OR Tambo alone since mid-2020.

Three Kruger National Park staff members who were arrested for the possession of rhino horns earlier this month are due to appear in the Bushbuckridge Magistrate's Court for bail application today.

The police have concluded their investigations into the case of self-proclaimed preacher Jackson Babi, who stands accused of attempting to bribe officers of the law about three months ago. Babi appeared alongside his co-accused Ananias Ananias yesterday before magistrate Linus Samunzala in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court.

Die selfverklaarde profeet Jackson Babi en ’n medebeskuldigde wat glo polisieondersoekbeamptes met N$13 000 probeer omkoop het, sal volgende week in die hof pleit.

The self-proclaimed prophet Jackson Babi and a co-accused who allegedly tried to bribe police investigators with N $ 13 000, will plead in court next week.

Prophet Jackson Babi and another man, Ananias Ananias, who stand accused of attempting to bribe a police officer, are expected to make another court appearance next month in connection with the charges. The two men briefly appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court on bribery charges after it was alleged that they offered a police officer N$13 000 to make the charges against Babi disappear.

A one-year-old white rhino calf has been killed by poachers on a farm in the Gobabis district. Farm owner Walter Kinnear says the calf’s tiny horn was removed by the poachers.

’n Renosterverskalfie van slegs een jaar oud wat steeds aan haar ma gedrink het, is op ’n wildsplaas in die Gobabis-distrik gestroop.

A one-year-old rhino calf who was still drinking from her mother was poached on a game farm in the Gobabis district.

Die Polizei hat am Wochenende gleich mehrere Fälle des Viehdiebstahls bzw. der Wilderei gemeldet - darunter gehört auch die Tötung eines Nashorn-Kalbs. In einigen Fällen hat es Festnahmen gegeben.

The police reported several cases of cattle theft and poaching over the weekend - including the killing of a rhinoceros calf. There have been arrests in some cases

The employees, two of whom are security guards while the other is attached to technical services at one of the Kruger National Park rest camps, appeared in court on Thursday following the discovery of fresh rhino horns in their vehicle. In a statement released by SANParks on Friday, the Managing Executive for the Kruger park, Gareth Coleman, said it was "always disheartening when colleagues from SANParks are involved in criminal activities.

South African National Parks (SANParks) announced the arrest of three staff members on 20 October 2020; in an extended Intel driven operation by SANParks, SAPS Crime Intelligence Unit, Sabi Sands and Skukuza SAPS Stock Theft Unit outside Kruger Gate. Two of the officials were employed as Security Guards and one was attached to Technical Services at one of the rest camps. The three were likely to appear in court on Thursday, 22 October 2020 and will thereafter be subjected to internal employee disciplinary procedures.

Three SA National Parks (SANParks) employees, among them two security guards, have been arrested in possession of fresh rhino horns outside the gates of the Kruger National Park. SANParks said the third person arrested is in technical services.

Anti-poaching initiatives instituted by Zimbabwe are bearing fruits as the country recorded a 78 percent decline in rhino poaching incidents in the first six months of 2020 compared to same period last year. Statistics from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) show that four rhinos were poached from January to June 2020. The figure for January - June 2019 was 19.

Namibia has drastically cut down on the number of rhino poaching cases in the past year despite the country still battling the problem, Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta told Parliament on Wednesday.

SADC countries have individually decided not to get involved in the non-commercial international trade in rhino horn. This questionable decision has happened despite approval for such trade by the UN international wild trade-regulating agency, CITES, and despite the help, it would give to wildlife conservation, the jobs it would create, and the socio-economic benefits it would bring to Southern Africa. Why? The reluctance to trade rhino horn in any way possible seems strange in the face of the economic devastation, particularly to rural areas, caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

At Opuwo, two Namibians were arrested on 13 October for being in possession of a pangolin. At Grootfontein, a Namibian, Raimo Kakongo, was arrested on 11 October on a charge of conspiring to poach a rhino. The case dates back to August this year. He has been charged with contravening the Riotous Assemblies Act. At Opuwo, two Namibians were arrested on 13 October for being in possession of a pangolin. Uaninazo Muheke and Mavetumbuavi Mutambo were charged with contravening the Controlled Wildlife Products and Trade Act.

SADC countries have individually decided not to get involved in the non-commercial international trade in rhino horn. This questionable decision has happened despite approval for such trade by the UN international wild trade-regulating agency, CITES, and despite the help it would give to wildlife conservation, the jobs it would create, and the socio-economic benefits it would bring to Southern Africa.

Until an illegal wildlife trade report was published in May 2015, Malawi's role in one of the world's largest transnational organised crimes was largely unknown. The landlocked southeast African nation - bordered by countries with large wildlife populations - was revealed to be a major trafficking hub for ivory, pangolin scales, rhino horn and other illegal wildlife commodities. Malawi's weak identification and enforcement systems were being systematically exploited by criminals to export their products to China, Vietnam and other demand countries. In response…

Patrol groups of the paramilitary National Anti-Poaching Squad have arrested 27 people on suspicions of being involved in a series of poaching incidents in the past 10 months in the Moyowosi and Uvinza game reserves of Kigoma region.

Namibia is dehorning most of its endangered black rhinos in an effort to curb poaching, official said Thursday. According to Environment Ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda, Namibia has dehorned about 208 rhinos this year, bringing the total number of dehorned rhinos to 666 since 2018.

By introducing a zoning approach, the necessary resources can be redirected to areas most in need of support. Seven Integrated Wildlife Zones are being introduced across South Africa to protect the country’s rhino. "By demarcating areas primarily around rhino populations, wildlife in the area, as well the people living in and around conservation areas, will be protected," said the Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Barbara Creecy.

Een Angolese en ses Namibiese mans is verlede week by Mururani in verband met renosterstropery vasgetrek. Volgens die hoof van die Blue Rhino-taakspan, komm. Barry de Klerk, is ’n swartrenosterbul gekwes. "Weens die erge skietwonde moes 'n veearts ongelukkig die renoster uitsit," het De Klerk aan Republikein gesê.

Pangolins are the most poached and trafficked animal species in Namibia, crime statistics show. A total of 174 wildlife crime cases involving high-value species were registered last year and more than 360 suspects were arrested. According to the 2019/2020 annual progress report of the environment ministry, 92 of these cases related to pangolin, 54 related to elephants, 32 related to rhinos and 17 to conspiracy to poach rhinos.

The arrest and recovery was made by the Pietermaritzburg Flying Squad and K9 Unit during a joint operation. A South Coast man was arrested for being in possession of a rhino horn valued at R1,2 million after being stopped during a police operation in Pietermaritzburg last week.

As international borders reopen, the government has warned game reserves around SA to prepare for a possible resurgence in rhino poaching. Because of this threat, hundreds of rhinos in game reserves in the North West have been dehorned to protect them from poachers. Dehorning involves tracking the animals and darting them before removing their horns while they are sedated. Tracking the rhinos requires two helicopters and teams of people on the ground.

Fourteen suspects have been arrested in connection with wildlife crimes and seven new cases have been registered. Three of the suspects were arrested in connection with rhino poaching or trafficking. According to the information provided by the intelligence and investigation unit within the environment and tourism ministry and the protected resources unit within the safety and security ministry, 11 illegal wildlife products were seized.

Despite COVID-19 bringing global travel to a standstill, Wilderness Safaris has rearmed its dedication to conserving and restoring Africa’s wilderness by continuing to support vital conservation projects in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe. This included a recent donation from Wilderness Safaris' Sustainability Fund to support the operating costs of the Scorpion Anti-Poaching Unit (SAPU) until end December 2020.

Pietermaritzburg police intercepted and arrested a man transporting rhino horn worth R1.2 million this morning.

Six suspects have been arrested in connection with wildlife crimes and two new cases were registered last week. Three of the suspects were arrested for elephant poaching and one suspect was arrested for rhino poaching. According to information provided by the intelligence and investigation unit in the environment ministry and the protected resources unit in the safety and security ministry, three illegal wildlife products were confiscated. At Mukwe in the Kavango East Region, three Namibians were arrested on 22 September for being in possession of two elephant tusks.

Namibia doesn't just do anti-poaching patrols to protect rhinos. A broad suite of initiatives is in place to combat wildlife crime. These include community participation, monitoring and surveillance, security infrastructure, multi-agency partnerships, private sector support, international collaboration and more. Yet foremost among them are superb law-enforcement mechanisms to find, arrest and prosecute perpetrators.