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Johannesburg - SANParks is welcoming hefty sentences handed to rhino poachers by the Skukuza Regional Court. Four men, including a former field ranger, were arrested in Skukuza in 2019 following a tip-off. Poaching equipment and a set of rhino horns were seized.

Police have commended the sentencing of three wildlife poachers, who have been found guilty of a number of serious crimes by the Skukuza Regional Court. Two South African citizens, Sam Khosa (40) and Solly Bennett Selahle (30), and Mozambican national, Oddis Maluleke (46), were sentenced by the court on Friday, 24 January. During proceedings, the court heard that on Friday, 15 February 2019, a regional field ranger observed suspicious activity inside the Kruger National Park (KNP) involving the accused individuals.

A group of highly endangered black rhinos is protected until 6 March to be peacefully protected by the conservation areas - Sorris Sorris, Uibasen Twyfelfontein and Doro ! Nawas - to walk. Then the court dispute will proceed to determine whether mining operations may continue in this area. Acting High Court Judge Anne-Doris Hans-Kaumbi ordered on Tuesday that the trial over planned open-pit tin mines in the area will not proceed until March. Until then, interdicts against further development of any new mining operations in the area remain in force.

Vietnam's apparent reluctance to share DNA samples of smuggled horns with South Africa - the country with the largest remaining populations of rhinos in the world, albeit decimated by a relentless wave of poaching over recent decades - has been criticised by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Listen to this article 11 min Listen to this article 11 min Vietnam has come under fire for its 'passive approach' to sharing crucial evidence that could help South African forensic experts trace the exact origin of horns smuggled…

Fifteen people accused of financial crimes related to rhino poaching briefly appeared in the Nelspruit Commercial Crimes Court on Monday. Among the accused were two former field rangers and some of their relatives. While the majority of the respondents appear to be from a humble background, almost all of them are represented by private advocates. Although the State was ready to commence with trial proceedings, the matter was provisionally postponed to February 27 for possible pretrial conference.

The Sabi Sand Nature Reserve in Greater Kruger experienced zero rhino poaching incidents in more than 500 days. The prestigious private reserve attributed the feat to several measures, including cutting-edge technologies like surveillance drones, real-time tracking, and AI-powered tools. Among the entities the reserve thanked for the technological solution to help combat poaching is the Connected Conservation Foundation (CCF). The CCF is working with 19 reserves across Africa and South America to test and improve tech solutions for conservation.

Vietnam's apparent reluctance to share DNA samples of smuggled horns with South Africa - the country with the largest remaining populations of rhinos in the world, albeit decimated by a relentless wave of poaching over recent decades - has been criticised by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The assertion that mining and conservation can coexist in fragile ecosystems is disingenuous. Our operations depend on black rhinos, a species critically sensitive to noise and human disturbance. Evidence shows mining activities – including heavy machinery and blasting – force rhinos to abandon their habitats, destroying the tourism models reliant on them. The Huab Conservancy serves as a cautionary tale: mining in the area led to the loss of tourism operations, community income, and conservation efforts – all without any meaningful benefit to the local population.

Cape Town - The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) said it would focus on disrupting local and international poaching this year. This comes after Cape Town metro police arrested a suspect for allegedly poaching 250 kilogrammes of abalone in Hout Bay last week. The bust has put a spotlight on poaching in the country. DFFE Minister Dion George commended the City of Cape Town's metro police for retrieving the poached abalone last Thursday. George said he would be making an extra effort to target poachers this year.

Four days of court transcriptions seem be missing in the trial of alleged rhino poaching kingpin Joseph Nyalungu and his three remaining co-accused, Claude Lubisi, Aretha Mhlanga and Rachel Qwebana. This emerged as the quartet of former police officers briefly appeared in the Mpumalanga High Court this morning, January 17. Their appearance follows a postponement late last year to settle financial instructions in a trial that commenced more than three years ago, in September 2021.

The former police constable who appeared in the KaBokweni Magistrate's Court on fraud charges on January 8 is also an accused in several rhino poaching-related cases. According to Mpumalanga News, Thembi Aretha Mhlanga (47) is one of four accused, alongside alleged rhino poaching kingpin Joseph 'Big Joe' Nyalungu, Claude Lubisi, and Rachel Qwebana. In her latest legal trouble, Mhlanga was arrested with Sarel Sithole (37) after allegedly swapping a bank card belonging to a 71-year-old woman.

Two suspected rhino poachers have been shot and killed in the Kruger National Park's Sabie Sands in Mpumalanga. According to the police, the park's rangers spotted the two poachers and when approached, they opened fire on the rangers. The rangers retaliated and fatally shot the suspected poachers. Provincial police spokesperson Jabu Ndubane says police found two hunting rifles and 16 rounds of ammunition. "The two suspects were spotted and opened fire instead of running and a shootout between the rangers and the poachers ensued.

While visitors to the Kruger Park were enjoying their peaceful festive season bush breaks, poachers were quietly mowing down rhinos within the Intensive Protection Zone. A staggering 27% of all rhinos poached in the Kruger National Park last year is understood to have been slaughtered in December. Three of these were slaughtered for their horns around Christmas, and another at New Year’s Eve, leaving two young calves orphaned.

Police in Mpumalanga are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of 19 rhino at the Kruger National Park. This follows the discovery of their carcasses in December. Mpumalanga police spokesperson Donald Mdhluli says they suspect most of the rhino were killed for their horns. "Though we know there was that project where SANParks was removing all the rhino horns but however the minute it starts growing, then these poachers try to take advantage. So the investigation is ongoing. We had in December an incident where two Mozambican nationals went into the Kruger National…

Durban - Criminals continue to be a major problem for Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife game reserves, according to Ezemvelo communications manager Musa Mntambo, who said poachers were breaking fences to catch bush meat, and criminals in neighbouring areas were stealing fence materials and poles. Conservation was given an added boost by Zulu King Misuzulu, who called on traditional leaders to take decisive action against those who endangered the natural heritage. Mntambo said they had engaged with community leaders to address the problems, but this did not always yield good results.

hree rhino poachers have been sentenced to 50, 33 and 21 years for killing rhinos in the Kruger National Park. Dominic Mnisi, Lwazi Malambe and Ayanda Ngomane were recently convicted of trespassing, possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of a firearm to commit a crime, conspiracy to commit a crime, and animal cruelty. Mnisi was sentenced to 50 years effectively, with several charges running concurrently. Malambe was given 33 years effectively, and Ngomane 21. Mnisi and Malambe were arrested in January 2017 with a rifle, ammunition and four fresh rhino horns.

A convicted rhino poacher has blamed his syndicate bosses after receiving a 50-year jail term for illegal hunting in the Kruger National Park (KNP). Dominic Mnisi, 36, Ayanda Ngomane, 31, and Lwazi Malambe, 31, were sentenced to 50, 21 and 33 years direct imprisonment by the Skukuza Regional Court on Thursday. The trio were convicted by the same court in early June after being found guilty by the presiding magistrate Jan Ngobeni.

Three rhino poachers were sentenced to 50, 21 and 33 years respectively in the Skukuza Regional Court on July 25 after being found guilty on several charges relating to rhino poaching in the Kruger National Park during 2017 and 2019. Their trial started on July 23, 2023. They were convicted on May 23 of this year on rhino poaching-related charges such as trespassing in a national park, hunting of rhinoceros in a national park, possession of an unlicensed firearm and conspiracy to commit a crime.

When Edward Ndiritu joined Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, central Kenya, as a rhino monitor in 1996, poaching had already reduced the nation's black rhino population from 20,000 in 1970 to fewer than 300. Driven by a fear that they might disappear completely, Edward worked his way up the ranks to become the head of Lewa's anti-poaching unit. In 2015, his team’s community-minded approach to conservation won him the first Wildlife Ranger Award from conservation charity Tusk. While a rhino hasn't been killed by poachers in Lewa since 2020, the threat endures.

A farmer in the Okahandja district encountered rhino poachers for the third time after discovering the carcass of a white rhino bull on his farm on Monday afternoon. Initially, the poachers injured the bull in a failed attempt last week. Two renowned veterinarians, Drs HO Reuter and Ulf Thubbesing, visited the farm last week to treat the injured rhino after the poachers shot him in the forehead. The eight-year-old bull was then marked with a large cross on his back to facilitate easy identification and monitoring from the air.

Two men who were arrested with 27 rhino horns at the OR Tambo six years ago have been handed down a hefty sentence. The men were on their way to Vietnam to sell the poached rhino horns with an estimated value of R2.9 million. Some South Africans were dissatisfied that the men received 15 years for poaching and believed they deserved to be locked up for longer.

'n Witrenosterbul se karkas is gistermiddag op 'n plaas in die Okahandja-distrik gevind nadat hy aanvanklik deur stropers gekwes is. Die gekweste bul is verlede week op die plaas ontdek. Twee veeartse het die plaas besoek om die agtjarige renoster te behandel nadat hy deur die stropers in die voorkop geskiet is. Die eienaar van die plaas het aan NMH gesê hy het nog Sondag omstreeks 18:00 oor die plaas met sy girokopter gevlieg en die bul lewend gesien.

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.

Members of anti-poaching units are sometimes involved in poaching or trafficking themselves, a latest report shows. This is according to a protection and law-enforcement report released by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism last week. Moreover, the report says 83 people have been arrested in connection with poaching and conspiring to poach rhinos and committing other wildlife crimes last year. It states that 39 people were arrested after pre-emptive investigations in 2023, while follow-up investigations related to rhino poaching have led to 44 arrests.

The ongoing drought that has its grip on most parts of Namibia has not spared wildlife either, the environment ministry says.  The drought is also severely impacting conservation efforts, but has not yet led to increased mortalities, reduction of wildlife numbers or any endangered species, environment ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda stated.  While responding to questions by New Era, revealed the scarcity of rainfall in the affected regions has resulted in a dire shortage of water and grazing resources for wildlife.

The wildlife crime cases over the last two years have mostly involved antelopes, pangolins, small mammals, rhinos and elephants.

The Minister of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, provided a detailed overview of ongoing efforts in wildlife protection and law enforcement at the 2024 Annual National Stakeholder Forum held this week. According to Shifeta, Namibia has long been recognized for its successful conservation strategies, which have significantly reduced poaching rates since the late 1980s and early 1990s, particularly targeting iconic species such as rhinos and elephants.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) said in a statement that Letswele was first arrested on December 8, 2022, and later released on bail. This is after Ermelo police received a tip-off about a Toyota double cab carrying rhino horns and firearms. When police stopped the vehicle, Letswele and his co-accused Junior Jorge Chauke, 42, tried to flee, but were quickly caught. A search of the vehicle revealed four rhino horns hidden in the bonnet, valued at R876,000. Despite being released on bail, Letswele continued his illegal activities.

The government convened a stakeholder forum on wildlife protection and relevant law enforcement issues. This initiative comes in response to the increasing concerns highlighted by international financial institutions, which have listed environmental crimes, including wildlife crimes and money laundering, among the top threats in Namibia’s national risk assessment. The forum is also partly aimed at preventing Namibia from being grey-listed by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

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.

The Rhino Sanctuary Namibia, located about 60km from Windhoek will officially open its doors this September. Although they have already had guests at the lodge to experience the magnificent surroundings and to pay a visit to the white rhinos roaming the area, they are still busy with some final touches. Manager Stefanus Prinsloo explained that the idea for Rhino Sanctuary Namibia came from the lodge owner, Tom Kjær who wanted to assist in protecting the rhinos against increasing poaching in Namibia.

South African conservationists have begun implanting radioactive pellets into the horns of white rhinos in an effort to curb the illegal rhino horn trade. James Larkin, the leader of the project, says the £1,000 pellet is cheaper and less damaging than other anti-poaching measures such as removing the horn. The project takes advantage of the global nuclear surveillance system. Sensors installed at border posts will now be able detect the horns’ radiation and alert the authorities.