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The Ministry of Environment and Tourism says although it does not have any hand in the internal investigation at the Save the Rhino Trust (SRT), it may launch its own probe into the matter. The Save the Rhino Trust confirmed this week that an internal investigation had been commissioned last year after several “concerns” were brought to their attention with regard to an alleged conspiracy between SRT members and poachers. The Kunene Region has been the hardest hit when it comes to rhino poaching in Namibia.

Namibia’s Save the Rhino Trust (SRT) has launched an internal investigation in response to allegations that some of its staff members have been involved in the escalating rhino poaching that has hit the Kunene Region. Most of the 24 rhinos poached last year were black rhino from the Kunene Region and allegations have surfaced pointing at a conspiracy between SRT rangers and poachers. The SRT yesterday confirmed in a statement that an internal investigation was launched last year after several “concerns” were brought to their attention.

The Save the Rhino Trust (SRT) has launched an internal investigation after it was presented with a letter in mid-December outlining possible collusion between some staff members and poachers who have killed at least 18 critically endangered Kunene black rhinos since late 2012. The crisis at the SRT is however just part of a larger one in anti-poaching law enforcement and natural resource management in the so-called “Big Three” communal conservancies - Palmwag, Abenab and Sesfontein - in southern Kunene.

The chairperson of 'Save The Rhino Trust' in Namibia (SRT), Dudu Murorua says the organisation will intensify its operations and shift its future focus from monitoring to adopting a more proactive approach for the extensive protection of rhinos.

A South African poaching kingpin linked to the killing of more than 22 rhinos valued at nearly N$22 million was rearrested shortly after a court appearance on earlier poaching charges in which a co-accused has been linked to Namibia. In the latest case, it has emerged that the same tranquilliser was used in a rhino killing spree for which professional hunter and game farmer Hugo Ras and two veterinarians were arrested more than two years ago.

The case against three Chinese nationals - accused of trying to smuggle 14 rhino horns valued at N$2 million out of Namibia - has been postponed for further investigations and the possible adding further charges. Li Xiaoliang, Li Zhibing and Pu Xuexin have been charged with the possession and export of controlled wildlife products, after they were allegedly caught with the 14 rhino horns and a leopard skin in their suitcases at the Hosea Kutako International Airport on March 23.

International policing agency Interpol has joined hands with Namibia in its fight against escalating rhino and elephant poaching, including through teaching advanced crime scene investigation, probing transnational linkages and uncovering who the kingpins of the wild crime syndicates are. In what is a first for Namibia the Interpol Sub-directorate on Environment Crime has stepped in to train Namibian police officers, particularly members of the Protective Resources Unit, and the Ministry of Environment and Tourism.

A new front has been opened in the battle against wildlife crime - a WikiLeaks-type website where people can report poaching and other activities to seasoned experts for investigation. The website known as WildLeaks has already received up 50 tip-offs in the last seven months from African countries such as Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Liberia, Malawi and Zambia.

The Ministry of Environment and Tourism yesterday confirmed that 33 elephants have been poached in Namibia this year. In the most recent case, two suspects were arrested in the Divundu area of the Kavango East Region on Friday. They were arrested when they tried to sell elephant bone as ivory to unsuspecting people.