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Since 2012, after more than two decades of low numbers of poaching incidents involving elephant and rhino, Namibia has experienced an alarming increase in the poaching of these two species. The Ministry of Environment and Tourism recently reported that a total of 245 elephants were poached between 2014 and 2017, while a total of 241 rhino were poached between 2012 and 2017.

A teacher was among the suspects arrested for poaching this weekend in the Kunene Region, following the recent discovery of two rhino carcasses. This brings the total of poached rhinos in Namibia to 26 for the year compared to a total of 60 in 2016.

Two rhino carcasses were discovered in the Kunene and Erongo regions, bringing the number of poached rhinos to 26 in 2017, said the environment ministry yesterday.

Two Namibian men were arrested on Saturday afternoon at a roadblock in the Ohangwena region after police found two fresh rhino horns in their luggage. According to Ohangwena police spokesman sergeant Abner Kaume Itumba, the men aged 29 and 32 were arrested at the Onhuno roadblock in the Helao Nafidi town.

Please allow me space in your esteemed newspaper to air my views regarding the latest review of the law that was passed by lawmakers to deal with poachers and would-be poachers.

Environmentalists and conservation groups have expressed their dismay over the decision by the Windhoek High Court to fine two ivory smugglers only N$20,000, saying such a slap on the wrist defeats Government’s efforts to curb poaching.

Chinese 'mafia' groups are said to be driving unprecedented wildlife crime and environmental destruction in Namibia. The unprecedented growth of Chinese immigration has brought with it the feared Chinese organised crime syndicates called triads, who are working in cahoots with Namibian crime syndicates, a renowned private investigator has observed. Andrew Fordred claims these Chinese criminals are not entrepreneurs seeking to make a quick, if dishonest, buck. Instead, they are part of ancient and well-organised criminal groups with "fierce internal discipline".

The trial of three Chinese men, who were arrested with 14 rhino horns at Hosea Kutako International Airport last year, will start in June. The case has been postponed to June 25 and 26 for plea and trial in the Windhoek Regional Court in Katutura. Li Xiaoliang, Li Zhibing and Pu Xuexin were caught with 14 rhino horns valued at N$2.3 million, as well as a leopard skin valued at N$50 000, in their luggage on March 23 last year. The three Chinese nationals have maintained that they did not know what was in their suitcases.

Sensational disclosures are the stuff of journalism. Good journalism however, requires that these disclosures are accurate and the interpretation of the facts is rational and reasonable. A recent front page lead "Wildlife staff probed in Kunene rhino poaching" requires a response.

The Save the Rhino Trust (SRT), which has been monitoring Namibia's desert-adapted rhinos since 1983, confirmed an internal investigation and announced that Otjiwarongo veterinarian Dr Axel Hartman has assumed the position of chief operating officer at the NGO as of this month.