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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.

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Displaying results 1 - 26 of 26
Wednesday, 31 January 2024
South African Police Service (SAPS) 2024. Three suspects fatally wounded in a shootout with police.

Three suspects were shot and fatally wounded in a shootout with police in the early hours of Wednesday, 31 January 2024. Police received intelligence that a group involved in serious crimes including murders committed in the Inanda area were hiding at the Lungelani Informal Settlement in La Mercy. A team comprising of various police disciplines including members of the Hawks descended on the location. Realising that they were surrounded, the suspects opened fire at the police and a shootout ensued.

Tuesday, 30 January 2024
Bloch S 2024. Police arrest six suspected rhino poachers in Limpopo and Gauteng; recover horns, guns and ammunition.

Police arrest six suspected rhino poachers in Limpopo and Gauteng; recover horns, guns and ammunition.

Tuesday, 30 January 2024
2024. Katima Mulilo Court trials for elephant tusk possession.

Katima Mulilo - Three individuals, Nyambe Calvin Matomola, John Mwelwa, and Nziye Lusinyize, have been brought before the Katima Mulilo Magistrate's Court for alleged possession of controlled wildlife products. The trio was apprehended with a total of 39 elephant tusks, leading to their court appearance on Tuesday. Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda, revealed that Matomola, along with seven Zambian nationals, was caught with 24 tusks after smuggling them into Namibia via the Zambezi Region.

Tuesday, 30 January 2024
2024. Three found with a live pangolin, held.

Two businessmen and a farmer of Lusaka have been taken to court for illegal possession of a live pangolin, one of the most tracked mammal in the world, valued at over K23, 000. Pangolin meat is considered a delicacy, while their scales are used in traditional Chinese medicine as they are believed to treat a range of ailments from asthma to rheumatism and arthritis.

Monday, 29 January 2024
2024. Harsh jail sentences way to end war on rhino poaching.

It's not rocket science. Harsher sentences - both locally and abroad - need to be dished out to those who poach rhinos for their horns, or smuggle those horns to other countries. The South African government reported 448 rhinos were killed across the country in 2022 - just three fewer than the previous year. It's welcoming to hear a Singapore court on Friday sentenced Gumede Sthembiso Joel, a 33- year-old South African man, to two years in jail for smuggling rhino horns. It was the heaviest sentence handed down by the city state for trafcking wildlife parts.

Monday, 29 January 2024
Marais R 2024. Illegal perlemoen trade booming despite anti-poaching efforts.

One of Algoa Bay’s most valuable resources is being poached and plundered at an alarming rate. Nelson Mandela Bay has experienced a string of perlemoen-related incidents over the past few days, with experts in the field saying the illegal trade of this protected shellfish is now at an all-time high.

Tuesday, 23 January 2024
2024. No trade, no killing - An evaluation of China's ivory ban on elephant poaching.
The debate on whether legalization or prohibition is more effective in conserving species and curbing illicit black-market trade remains controversial, with insufficient evidence available. Here we investigate the effects of China's ivory ban on elephant poaching. We find that the enaction of the total ivory ban corresponds with a sharp 50% decrease in poaching and a significant reduction of the number of seizure cases.
Friday, 19 January 2024
2024. Mozambican national arrested for wildlife tracking: A global challenge.

In a crucial operation towards wildlife protection, a Mozambican national has been arrested at Namwera, Mangochi, charged with the illegal possession of a protected wildlife species. The arrest, a serious violation of section 110(b) of the National Parks and Wildlife Act, signifies the ongoing fight against wildlife trafficking, a crime increasingly crossing national boundaries and threatening global biodiversity. Caught in the act was 26-year-old Moses Paul Banda, a Mozambican citizen.

Friday, 19 January 2024
2024. Police arrest two men with rhino horns after highspeed car chase.

Two men are expected to appear in the Vryheid magistrate's court after they were arrested with two rhino horns and a rie hidden in their car's engine compartment. KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Lt-Col Nqobile Gwala said ofcers acted on information about the suspects and spotted their vehicle on the R34 travelling towards Vryheid and a high-speed chase ensued.

Wednesday, 17 January 2024
Mangirazi N 2024. Zimbabwe: Trio arrested for poaching.
Three Hurungwe men who captured themselves on camera killing an elephant using traditional weapons and dogs yesterday appeared before Kariba magistrate accused of hunting or removing any animal or part of the animal in a safari area without a permit. Francis Chigomararwa (30), Simeon Kezias (23) and Arthur Murimbika (24) all from Nyamakate area are also facing another charge of killing a buffalo.The accused were unlucky when a video went viral of them killing an elephant after setting their dogs on it before attacking it using spears and axes.
Tuesday, 16 January 2024
Ombati C 2024. Policeman among two arrested with elephant tusks in Nairobi.

The police constable and a civilian had been arrested in Nairobi West and Eastleigh with the cargo on Sunday. They had tried to sell the trophies to Kenya Wildlife Service ocials who had posed as potential buyers.

Tuesday, 16 January 2024
Mangirazi N 2024. Trio arrested for poaching.

Three Hurungwe men who captured themselves on camera killing an elephant using traditional weapons and dogs yesterday appeared before Kariba magistrate accused of hunting or removing any animal or part of the animal in a safari area without a permit. Francis Chigomararwa (30), Simeon Kezias (23) and Arthur Murimbika (24) all from Nyamakate area are also facing another charge of killing a buffalo.The accused were unlucky when a video went viral of them killing an elephant after setting their dogs on it before attacking it using spears and axes.

Monday, 15 January 2024
Smit E 2024. SRT volg eenvoudige benadering tot stropery.
Save the Rhino Trust (SRT) Namibia se benadering tot renosterstropery het die konvensionele militêre styl-taktiek vir renosterbeskerming uitgedaag, wat in baie gevalle die gaping tussen plaaslike mense en renosters vererger het. Dié konvensionele taktieke teen stropery beskou en teiken plaaslike mense as deel van die probleem, het SRT in sy nuwe strategiese plan vir 2023-’28 gesê. SRT het gesê die organisasie het dus 'n uiters eenvoudige, maar doeltreffende benadering gevolg deur gerespekteerde plaaslike mense in diens te neem om hul vaardighede in te span.
Monday, 15 January 2024
Smit E 2024. SRT challenges military-style approach to poaching.
The Save the Rhino Trust (SRT) Namibia approach to rhino poaching has challenged the conventional military-style rhino protection tactics that, in many cases, exacerbate the divide between local people and rhinos. "These conventional anti-poaching regimes perceive and target local people as part of the problem," said SRT Namibia in its new strategic plan for 2023 to 2028. SRT said it has therefore taken on a highly simple but effective approach by employing local residents to harness their unrivalled skills.
Friday, 12 January 2024
Moser K 2024. Diebstähle bei Farmen um Outjo.

Bei Outjo mehren sich weiterhin die Vorfälle von Kriminalität auf Farmen. Wie Rolf Wagner und Erika Zamzow von der Farm Moselle gegenüber der AZ berichteten, haben Unbekannte im vergangenen Dezember Solarinstallationen und Pumpen von fünf Wasserstellen der Farm gestohlen. Die Farm arbeite eng mit der Anti-Wilderei-Einheit Nyime zusammen, die die Diebe "über fast 30 Kilometer bis zur Teerstraße Outjo-Khorixas verfolgt" hätten. Die Diebe seien nicht gefasst, aber nahezu alle gestohlenen Teile sichergestellt worden.

Thursday, 11 January 2024
Smit E 2024. Nashornschutz auf andere Weise.
Konventionelle militärische Taktiken können nicht die einzige Lösung zum Schutz der Nashörner sein - davon ist der Save the Rhino Trust (SRT) Namibia überzeugt. Denn diese verschärften in vielen Fällen die Kluft zwischen der lokalen Bevölkerung und den Nashörnern nur weiter, so SRT in seinem neuen Strategieplan für 2023 bis 2028. SRT hat daher einen anderen, effektiven Ansatz gewählt, indem es lokale Einheimische einstellt, um deren einzigartigen Kenntnisse zu nutzen. Dazu gehören traditionelle Fährtenlesetechniken sowie Kenntnisse über die Landschaft und das Verhalten der Tiere.
Wednesday, 10 January 2024
Bause T 2024. Beweerde stropery in Namib-Naukluft.

Die 49-jarige Leon Schiffer het Maandag in die landdroshof op Maltahöhe verskyn. Hy word van stropery in die Namib-Naukluft Nasionale Park (in die Sesriem-distrik) aangekla. Luidens verlede naweek se polisieverslag is Schiffer op 5 Januarie omstreeks 10:00 saam met nog 'n verdagte (32) in hegtenis geneem - volgens inligting van die landdroskantoor in Maltahöhe was dit 'n sekere "Gariseb". Die twee het glo nege gemsbokke gestroop.

Friday, 5 January 2024
Bause T 2024. Venasha, die renoster blom.

Dit gaan baie goed met Venasha, die renosterkalfie wat in Oktober 2022 by die Rhino Momma-projek aangekom het, nadat sy deur haar ma verwerp is. Volgens Juliette Erdtsieck, haar versorger van die afgelope 19 maande, bly Venasha onder meer saam met drie renosterkoeie en hul kalwers in 'n kamp. "Sy word nou regtig baie groot en is 'n regte renoster! Sy het op 26 November haar laaste bottel melk gekry en aan die einde van die jaar is sy na die groot kamp verskuif," sê Juliette. Die Rhino Momma-projek in Namibië het in 2022 in een maand twee wees-renosterkalfies gekry.

Tuesday, 2 January 2024
2024. Botswana, Namibia in joint elephant poaching investigation.

Botswana and Namibia have embarked on a joint investigation into the increased incidents of elephant poaching in the northern part of Botswana. "The country (Botswana) experienced a surge in elephant poaching incidents during November and December 2023," Lesego Kgomanyane, the spokesperson for Botswana's Ministry of Environment and Tourism, told Xinhua over the telephone, noting that the development has shone the light on the apparent increase in poaching of elephants in northern Botswana.

Friday, 31 October 2014
Menges W 2014. Reward for info on Etosha rhino poaching.

A reward of N$30 000 is being offered for information that would lead to the arrest and prosecution of the people responsible for the poaching of a rhinoceros in Namibia's premier wildlife sanctuary, the Etosha National Park, about a week ago.

Thursday, 30 October 2014
Smit E 2014. First black rhino poached in Etosha this year.

A black rhino has been killed and dehorned in the Etosha National Park, the first confirmed poaching incident in a national park this year. Minister of Environment and Tourism, Uahekua Herunga, yesterday confirmed that the carcass was found with 10 gunshot wounds and that the horn was removed. He said the ministry was alerted on Tuesday and currently there is not much information, as investigations are still ongoing at the scene. The rhino carcass was discovered in the southwest part of Etosha on Tuesday with its horn hacked off.

Wednesday, 29 October 2014
Smit E 2014. No slackness in Namibian courts, says magistrate.

A Windhoek magistrate yesterday warned the prosecution not to paint a picture of laxity in the country's courtrooms and to expedite matters in courts. Magistrate Johannes Shuuveni was speaking at the Windhoek Magistrate's Court in Katutura when the State asked for another postponement in the case of three Chinese men accused of trying to smuggle 14 rhino horns worth more than N$2 million out of Namibia.

Thursday, 23 October 2014
Smit E 2014. Namibia is world's second best destination.

The Land of the Brave has been named the second best destination to visit in the world in 2015 by the prominent global travel company, Lonely Planet. Singapore was announced the world's number one country to travel to next year. Lonely Planet made specific mention that Namibia is celebrating 25 years of independence next year and the country has made groundbreaking progress in sustainable development. According to the travel company, Namibia was the first African country to include protection of its environment in its constitution. Namibia empowers local communities to contribute…

Friday, 17 October 2014
2014. Nam de-horns rhinos in battle against poachers.

Cabinet has approved the Ministry of Environment and Tourism's proposal to de-horn rhinos in Namibia.

Wednesday, 15 October 2014
Menges W 2014. Chinese trio denies rhino horn charges.

The three Chinese men accused of trying to smuggle two suitcases with rhino horns out of Namibia in March pleaded not guilty to all charges against them during their latest court appearance yesterday.

Tuesday, 14 October 2014
Smit E 2014. Chinese rhino suspects plead not guilty.

The three Chinese nationals who stand accused of trying to smuggle 14 rhino horns out of Namibia have pleaded not guilty to all charges. The case has in the meantime been referred to the office of the Prosecutor-General for a decision. Li Xiaoliang, Li Zhibing and Pu Xuexin appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court in Katutura yesterday on charges of possession and export of controlled wildlife products.

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