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The number of endangered rhinos poached in Namibia last year was the highest on record and almost twice as many as the year before, officials say. A total of 87 rhinos were killed compared with 45 in 2021, official government data show. Most were poached in Etosha, Namibia's biggest national park, officials say. Rhino numbers in Africa have dropped significantly in recent decades to feed demand for rhino horn in China and Vietnam.

It was successful day for multi-task team of detectives from the Endangered Species Unit, SANParks, Focused Conservation Solutions, Hoedspruit SAPS, and Hoedspruit Farm Watch when they made a breakthrough arresting five suspects for rhino poaching.

The Hawks have arrested a second suspect allegedly linked to the stockpile hit at the North West Parks Board headquarters in Mafikeng last week. According to a Daily Maverick source, the suspect was apprehended in a planned operation near Brits at about 9pm on Tuesday. On Wednesday morning the arrest was confirmed by a senior SAPS officer who did not want to be identified.

A poacher from Mozambique has been convicted and sentenced to 22 years in prison for killing two rhinos in the Kruger National Park.

South Africa's national parks have put in place various measures to combat rhino poaching which threatens the existence of the endangered animal. Isaac Phaahla, media specialist for South African National Parks, a leading conservation authority in the country, said they have been constantly revising their strategies to fight poachers, who keep changing their tactics.

The Hawks have arrested a man in connection with the theft of 51 rhino horns. The horns were stolen from a stockpile in the North West. The man is expected to appear in court on Monday to face a charge of business robbery.

Durban - The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) arrested a 35-year-old man for dealing in a protected species without a permit. Hawks spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Simphiwe Mhlongo said that on Thursday Hawks members from Port Shepstone Serious Organised Crime Investigation arrested Sifiso Magagula for dealing in African pangolin without a permit.

Kenya will enhance partnerships with neighboring countries and regional blocs in a bid to protect abundant natural resources like wildlife from the clutches of organized crime, an official has said.

Fifty rhino horns stolen from a stockpile in the North West will likely leave South Africa as beads, mugs, or souvenirs, experts have said. The stockpile was stolen in the early hours of Monday morning from the North West Parks and Tourism Board in Mahikeng. Reports suggest the robbers evaded security measures, alarms, security cameras and bypassed the locking mechanism of the vault. Experts have speculated that the rhino horns may already be on their way to Asian markets, based on insights into how wildlife crime syndicates operate.

The police anti-poaching unit has since June this year arrested 48 people for alleged rhino poaching. About 22 of those arrested appeared in the Okahao Magistrate's Court in Omusati Region last month, while an unspecified number of suspects were released, pending further police investigations.

The anti-poaching organisation Conserving Our Valuable Elephant and Rhino (Cover) said yesterday that an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) into the misuse of funds raised to help protect rhino is in an advanced stage. At the same time the founder of Cover, Jofie Lamprecht, responded to recent criticism against the organisation and gave an update about the first private anti-poaching unit that has been trained by French outfit Wildlife Angel.

The Government has warned against poaching, as this may jeopardize the Namibian economy and also lead to the extinction of wild animals. The Minister of Information and Communication Technology Tjekero Tweya said poaching has negative consequences for the economy as it depletes the country’s wildlife and if there is no wildlife, no income would be generated through hunting. “This is the hunting season, and if we do not have wildlife, lodges and game reserves won’t be able to generate income as there would be no animals which could be hunted. It is not good if there…

In the trial involving four Chinese nationals arrested for trying to smuggle 14 rhino horns out of the country, the state witness was hammered during cross examination for omitting certain facts. Li Zinbing, Li Xiaoliang, Pu Xuexin and Wang Hui appeared in the Windhoek Regional Court at Katutura on Friday. They were arrested on charges of attempting to smuggle rhino horns worth more than N$2,3 million and a leopard skin worth N$50 000 out of the country.

The four Chinese men accused of having tried to smuggle a hoard of rhino horns out of Namibia in March last year is due to continue in the Windhoek Regional Court in September.