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The new Minister of Environment and Tourism says he will prioritise anti-poaching initiatives, including extra security measures at the Etosha National Park, which has seen four cases of rhino poaching recently. In the latest poaching incident, the carcass of a young rhino bull was discovered at the Dolomite waterhole in Etosha this past Friday. The rhino’s horns were still intact and it had been shot three times. Police are still investigating the case and there are currently no suspects.

A parliamentary standing committee has urged the ministries of Justice and Home Affairs to initiate an extradition agreement with the government of Angola to combat cross-border wildlife crimes effectively. Poaching has become a serious problem in Namibia, particularly in the Kunene Region, where poachers appear to operate with impunity. The Kunene Region borders southern Angola. So far this year, 14 rhino carcasses and 33 elephant carcasses have been found in Namibia.

The Namibian Police Force (NamPol) in the Kunene Region is investigating a case of rhino poaching after a cow and calf were found dead in the top Barab Plamwag Concession towards Mbakondja camel camp.

Ben Simasiku, a 31-year-old suspected ivory smuggler, has been arrested in Zambia after the first-ever Interpol public appeal, dubbed to track down nine environmental fugitives.

The case of three Chinese men accused of trying to smuggle 14 rhino horns worth about N$2.3 million out of Namibia has been transferred to the Windhoek Regional Court in Katutura for plea and trial. Li Xiaoliang, Li Zhibing and Pu Xuexin were caught with the rhino horns, as well as a leopard skin valued about N$50 000, stashed in their luggage at the Hosea Kutako International Airport on March 23.

The three Chinese men accused of trying to smuggle 14 rhino horns out of Namibia in March this year will have to stand trial on three main charges in the Windhoek Regional Court, the prosecutor general has decided.

The Minister of Environment and Tourism, Uahekua Herunga, has warned Namibians who are collaborating with international poaching syndicates that they must stop with this illegal practice or face the consequences. Namibia is in the process of establishing an anti-poaching unit and Herunga stressed the urgency of getting this unit up and running as soon as possible. He said the country experienced a spill-over of poaching from South Africa, where large numbers of rhinos and elephants have been killed in the past two years.