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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 - 27 of 27
Thursday, 30 March 2023
David M 2023. No more poaching in Etosha, says Sakaria.

Commissioner Naftal Lungameni Sakaria, the Oshana Regional Police Commander, was recently named the Gold Commander for the Etosha National Park Anti-poaching Safety and Security squad. Sakaria was named on March 23 and will, for the next six months, be in charge of directing the joint Nampol/NDF operational work in the Etosha National Park. He said that he will concurrently be in charge of the Oshana Region and also the anti-poaching operations in Etosha. "I have already been to Etosha, rotated the personnel and properly briefed them," he said.

Thursday, 30 March 2023
Ndeyanale E 2023. I can't guarantee you will leave Etosha alive.

Oshana police commissioner Naftal Sakaria says armed poachers found in the Etosha National Park should surrender to the police or they will be shot. Police inspector general Joseph Shikongo last week appointed Sakaria as the commander of the anti-poaching unit in Etosha National Park for a period of six months. While in this position, he will also remain the Oshana regional commander. Sakaria is tasked with commanding the police and military forces deployed in the flagship park to protect animals, especially iconic animals such elephants and rhinos, from being poached.

Tuesday, 21 March 2023
Rogers G 2023. Wilderness Foundation offers reward to stop Eastern Cape rhino poaching.

The Wilderness Foundation has offered a reward in an effort to put the brakes on the recent spate of rhino poaching in the Eastern Cape.

Monday, 20 March 2023
2023. 548 rhinos poached in 2022.

The latest reports from national governments and agencies reveal (so far) that approximately 548 rhinos were poached in Africa last year. Overall, the total is a slight increase compared to 2021, when 539 rhinos were poached. This is a significant change from 2013 - 2017, when more than 1,000 rhinos were killed each year, yet it’s still dangerously high. On average, one rhino is still poached every 16 hours. Most of the rhinos poached last year were killed in Namibia and South Africa. In both countries, poachers have shifted their focus to new places.

Monday, 20 March 2023
Maromo J 2023. Woman rhino poacher jailed for 16 years.

Pretoria - A woman involved in rhino poaching in the Kruger National Park was on Friday jailed for 16 years by the Skukuza Regional Court.

Monday, 20 March 2023
Taylor D 2023. Chinese, South African 'mafia' decimating wildlife in Kruger National Park.

A new report from the European Union-funded international crime response group, Enact, says organized crime groups from South Africa and China - in collaboration with corrupt wildlife officials - are "decimating" big game animals in one of the world's premier game reserves. 

Friday, 17 March 2023
Hattingh E 2023. Twee 'renosterstropers' aangekeer.

Twee mans is gister omstreeks 09:00 in die Dordabis-omgewing in hegtenis geneem nadat hulle glo twee swartrenosters, ‘n koei en ‘n kalf, op ‘n plaas doodgeskiet het. Die verdagtes het ‘n jaggeweer in hul besit gehad, asook 15 koeëls, waarvan drie reeds gebruik is. Twee renosterhorings is ook gevind. Die waarde van die renosters is sowat N$500 000 per renoster. Die mans is aangekla vir verskeie oortredings, insluitende vir die jag van beskermde wild en omdat hulle in besit was van ongelisensieërde wapens. Die polisie se ondersoek duur voort.

Friday, 17 March 2023
Hattingh E 2023. Zwei "Nashorn-Wilderer" festgenommen.

Zwei Männer wurden gestern gegen 09:00 Uhr in der Region Dordabis festgenommen, nachdem sie auf einer Farm zwei Spitzmaulnashörner, eine Kuh und ein Kalb, gewildert haben sollen. Die Verdächtigen waren im Besitz eines Jagdgewehrs und von 15 Kugeln, von denen drei bereits verwendet worden waren. Außerdem wurden zwei Nashornhörner gefunden. Die Nashörner haben einen Wert von jeweils rund 500 000 N$. Die Männer wurden wegen verschiedener Vergehen angeklagt, unter anderem wegen der Jagd auf geschützte Wildtiere und des Besitzes von nicht zugelassenen Waffen.

Friday, 17 March 2023
2023. Wildlife security guard killed two rhinos, then his accomplice to avoid sharing R1million loot.

The High Court in Polokwane has convicted and sentenced 36- year-old Bethuel Mdubane to 24 years effective imprisonment for an assortment of crimes including murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, and hunting and shooting two rhinos. Additionally, Mdubane was also sentenced for unlawful possession of stolen car, two counts of possession of ammunition, and three counts of unlawful possession of prohibited firearms.

Friday, 17 March 2023
2023. Two rhinos shot and poached in Dordabis.

The Namibian Police have arrested two men, aged 47 and 27, who allegedly shot and killed two black rhinos (a cow and a calf) on a farm in the Dordabis area, Khomas Region. According to Chief Inspector Elifas Kuwinga, spokesperson of the Namibian Police, the incident happened on Thursday, 16 March 2023, at about 09:00. It is alleged that the two suspects shot and killed two rhinos and were also found with a 375-calibre firearm, with 13 live cartridges and three spent cartridges. The rhinos are worth N$500 000 each. Two rhino horns were also found at the scene.

Friday, 17 March 2023
Hattingh E 2023. Two 'rhino poachers' apprehended.

Two men were arrested yesterday around 09:00 in the Dordabis area after they allegedly poached two black rhinos, a cow and a calf, on a farm. The suspects had a hunting rifle in their possession, as well as 15 bullets, of which three had already been used. Two rhino horns were also found. The rhinos are valued at around N$500 000 each. The men were charged with various offences, including hunting protected wildlife and being in possession of unlicensed weapons. Police investigations continue.

Monday, 13 March 2023
2023. Man arrested with 2 rhino horns.

Last week, the South African Police Service in Piet Retief achieved a commendable result by arresting a 27-year-old man in possession of two rhino horns. The arrest came after members of the public brought information about the suspect’s alleged dealings to the attention of the police. Upon searching his vehicle, the police found two rhino horns hidden inside the bonnet and wrapped with black plastic. The fact that the local community is speaking out against wildlife crime is also a positive development.

Wednesday, 25 August 2021
2021. Prozess gegen vermutliche Wilderer in Otavi.

Der Prozess gegen drei der Wilderei beschuldigten Männer in Otavi hat begonnen. Die Namibier zwischen 32 und 51 Jahren waren vergangene Woche nahe Ohorongo festgenommen worden, weil sie sich vermutlich, so die Anklage, auf einer Wildereimission befaden. Sie waren in Besitz eines Schalldämpfers, einer Jagdwaffe, schwerer Munition, eines Messers und einer Machete. Angeblich sollen sie versucht haben, auf einer nahegelegenen Farm Nashörner zu wildern.

Wednesday, 25 August 2021
Kamati E 2021. Beweerde stropers bly in aanhouding.

Die drie mans het verlede week hul eerste hofverskyning gemaak nadat hulle op 'n gruispad naby Ohorongo Cement in besit van 'n knaldemper, lewendige ammunisie, 'n jaggeweer, swaarkaliber-ammunisie, 'n mes en 'n panga betrap is. Die vermoede is dat hulle onderweg was om renosters op 'n nabygeleë plaas te stroop.

Wednesday, 25 August 2021
Kamati E 2021. Accused poachers remanded at Otavi.

Three suspects arrested on poaching charges near Otavi last week were remanded in custody by the Otavi magistrate's court. The three were arrested on a gravel road near the Ohorongo Cement factory on Tuesday. They were found in possession of a silencer, ammunition, one hunting rifle, a knife and a machete. They were suspected to have been on a rhino poaching mission at a nearby farm.

Saturday, 21 August 2021
Makhafola G 2021. Poachers kill and dehorn two white rhinos on Free State farm, injure a third.

Free State police are on the hunt for poachers who killed and dehorned two white rhinos and injured a third at a farm in Steynsrus. Police spokesperson Brigadier Motantsi Makhele said a case of rhino poaching was registered in terms of Section 57 of the Bioversity Act 10 of 2004 "after two rhino bulls were killed and one injured in Geduldfontein Farm". "The value of the two killed rhino bulls is R800 000," Makhele added.

Friday, 20 August 2021
2021. Drei mutmaßliche Nashornwilderer bei Otavi verhaftet.

Drei Männer, die verdächtigt werden, Nashornwilderer zu sein, wurden am Dienstagnachmittag in der Nähe von Otavi in der Otjozondjupa-Region verhaftet. Laut Polizeisprecherin der Otjozondjupa-Region, Inspektorin Maureen Mbeha, wurde ein Jagdgewehr mit einem Teleskop und einem Schalldämpfer in einem Kleinwagen gefunden, in der das Trio auf einer Schotterstraße nördlich von Otavi unterwegs war. Acht scharfe Munition, eine Panga und ein Messer wurden ebenfalls gefunden, so Mbeha.

Thursday, 19 August 2021
Khakhau S 2021. Anti-poaching bodies call for stricter sentences for rhino poachers.

Some anti-poaching organizations are calling upon the justice system to strengthen punishment against those found guilty of rhino poaching and rhino horn trafficking. This comes after the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment recently released statistics indicating that rhino poaching incidents committed in the country within the first six months of the year have increased by 33% compared to last year, during the same period. Nature conservationists say the rhino is among the endangered species, not only in South Africa and the African continent but across the…

Tuesday, 17 August 2021
2021. 249 rhino poached in first six months of 2021.

Some 125 people have been arrested for rhino poaching and rhino horn trafficking across the country in the past six months. According to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment while the national lockdowns curbed the movement of people to halt the spread of Covid-19 in 2020 contributed to a decrease in rhino poaching, however the lifting of the stringent lockdown regulations appears to have seen an increase in rhino poaching in the first six months of 2021.

Monday, 9 August 2021
Smit E 2021. 11 arrested with eight wildlife products.

At Okahandja, three Namibians were arrested on 24 July for illegally hunting a wildebeest. Festus Nyama, Staynley Bwendo and Phoster Manyando were charged for violating the Nature Conservation Ordinance Act. A hunting rifle was also confiscated. The case was not reported last week. In another incident at Kahenge, a Namibian was arrested with two python skins on 26 July. Hamutenya Mutjireni was charged with the illegal possession and dealing of controlled wildlife products. At Rundu, two Namibians were arrested on 27 July for being in possession of a pangolin skin.

Friday, 6 August 2021
2021. Suspected rhino poachers arrested in the Free State.

Two suspected rhino poachers were arrested on a farm in Vierfontein in the Free State on Thursday, provincial police said.

Thursday, 5 August 2021
2021. Wildtierverbrechen bleiben stehts ein Problem.

Am 24. Juli wurden demnach drei Männer in Okahandja verhaftet, da diese mit einem Wildebeest-Kadaver und einer Jagdwaffe in ihrem Besitz gefunden wurden. In Kahenge, in der Kavango-West-Region, wurde am 26. Juli ebenfalls ein Namibier wegen illegalen Besitzes von zwei Python-Häuten verhaftet. Bei einem weiteren Vorfall des 27. Juli in Rundu, wurden zwei Männer, die im Besitz eines Schuppentierpanzers waren, ebenfalls verhaftet.

Wednesday, 4 August 2021
Robinson D 2021. Rhino, elephant poaching continues to decline in Africa.

Rhino and elephant poaching continues to decline in Africa, most likely due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions and enhanced protection efforts. This is particularly the case in Namibia, as well as Zimbabwe and Tanzania, bringing hope to a species plagued by intensive poaching over the past few decades.

Monday, 2 August 2021
Routh R 2021. Babi to remain in custody, bail appeal dismissed.

Windhoek High Court Judge Herman January on Friday dismissed an appeal against the ruling of magistrate Linus Samunzala to release self-styled prophet Jackson Babi on bail pending his trial. Babi faces charges of possessing or dealing in two rhino horns, hunting a rhinoceros that is protected by law and possessing a hunting rifle and ammunition without a licence. The State claims Babi and Frizans Naululu Dumeni were in possession or dealt in two rhino horns at Babi’s residence in Kleine Kuppe in Windhoek between 26-27 May 2020.

Sunday, 1 August 2021
2021. Rhino poaching increases again in South Africa - 125 arrests.

Rhino poaching is increasing again in South Africa. According to Environment Minister Barbara Creecy, a total of 249 rhinos were poached from January to the end of June. "Although the number of rhinos killed for their horns is higher than the 166 in the same period last year, it is less than the 318 poached rhinos in the first six months of 2019," said the Sanparks National Park Authority on Saturday - International Ranger Day - with. The previous year is considered an exceptional year due to one of the world's strictest corona lockdowns in South Africa.

Sunday, 1 August 2021
van Zyl C 2021. 249 rhino poached in SA since the start of 2021 and it is increasing.

At least 249 rhinos were killed in the first six months of this year in South Africa. The bulk of the killings happened at the Kruger National Park, where 132 rhinos were killed.

Sunday, 1 August 2021
2021. Nashorn-Wilderei in Südafrika legt wieder zu - 125 Festnahmen.

Voriges Jahr ließ die Nashorn-Wilderei in Südafrika nach - wegen des Corona-Lockdowns. Nun steigt die Zahl der getöteten Rhinozerosse wieder.

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