This archive of published media articles about wildlife crime in Namibia aims to:
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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Last year ended with one of the highest rhino poaching figures recorded in almost a decade. A total of 77 rhinos were poached in 2022 compared to 2021 when 45 rhinos were killed for their horns. Last year's figure is the third highest recorded since 2013, only surpassed by the 97 rhinos poached in 2015 and 84 killed by poachers in 2018.
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NAM_2023_01_77 rhinos and 4 elephants poached in 2022_Namibian Sun.pdf | 350.46 KB |
Verlede jaar het geëindig met een van die hoogste renosterstroperysyfers in byna 'n dekade. Altesaam 77 renosters is verlede jaar gestroop - 32 meer as in 2021. Volgens die jongste statistieke wat deur die ministerie van die omgewing, bosbou en toerisme bekend gemaak is, is verlede jaar se syfers die derde hoogste sedert 2013. Die twee hoogste syfers is in 2015 en 2018 aangeteken met onderskeidelik 97 en 84 renosters wat in daardie jare gestroop is.
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NAM_2023_01_77 renosters en 4 olifante in 2022 gestroop_Republikein.pdf | 349.9 KB |
NAM_2023_01_77 rhinos and 4 elephants poached in 2022_Republikein_Eng.pdf | 365.02 KB |
According to media reports, five Germans, two Americans, one Australian and four South Africans came under gunfire attack on a double-decker tour boat on Wednesday, in a broader drama involving the recent slaughter of about 25 elephants from a wandering herd. The tourists were attacked shortly after 10.30am on the eastern shores of the Jozini/Pongolapoort Dam on the southern border between SA and eSwatini.
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SA_2023_01_Jozini Dam_ANC and DA condemn gunfire attack as poaching conflict rises_The Citizen.pdf | 331.66 KB |
A Gqeberha man was arrested for suspected abalone poaching in the early hours of January 11, after vigilant Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Metro (NMBM) Police officers spotted a suspicious vehicle, a red Toyota Condor, which was leaking water from the rear end. The man was found travelling with eight bags of de-shelled abalone at around 3.45am in the Summerstrand and Humewood area.
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SA_2023_01_Gqeberha man arrested for possession of 1 620 units of protected abalone_IOL.pdf | 338.94 KB |
t's a grim and all too common sight for rangers at some of Africa’s nature reserves: the bullet-riddled carcass of an elephant, its tusks removed by poachers. African elephant populations have fallen by about 30% since 2006. Poaching has driven the decline. Some reserves, like Garamba in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Selous in Tanzania, have lost hundreds of elephants to poachers over the last decade. But others, like Etosha National Park in Namibia, have been targeted far less.
The Pongola Lake in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa, has erupted into an elephant poaching 'slaughterhouse', says the DA, as it calls again for national intervention. "Armed groups of poachers have now completely laid siege to the eastern shores of the lake, with several elephant carcasses recently found while dozens of gunshots have also been reported in the region. “Guards near the eSwatini border have allegedly also come under attack and infrastructure damaged and torched by the armed gang."
The police this week arrested two Zambians and two Namibians in the Zambezi region after they were found with elephant tusks and rhino horns.
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NAM_2017-03_Four arrested over Zambezi poaching_The Namibian.pdf | 191.68 KB |
A poaching syndicate operating in Namibia is apparently posting rhino horns to China in parcels purportedly containing coffee. Twelve pieces of rhino horn mailed from Namibia were seized by Hong Kong customs officers last week. The horns, weighing 6.6kg, were found in two express airmail parcels at Hong Kong International Airport on 22 March. The shipping labels stated that the parcels contained coffee, a press release issued by the Hong Kong government stated. "Suspicious images were found under X-ray inspection.
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NAM_2017-03_Rhino horns disguised as coffee_Namibian Sun.pdf | 79.51 KB |
he number of rhinos killed by poachers this year has risen to five after two more carcasses were found on the farm Okanenampanti belonging to businessman Frans Indongo. Environment ministry spokesman Romeo Muyunda yesterday confirmed these figures to Namibian Sun and said two rhino carcasses were found on Okanenampanti on 17 March. In January, a white rhino carcass without horns was discovered at the farm near Otjiwarongo, which is the location of the Frans Indongo Lodge. One of the carcasses discovered this month was still fresh while the other carcass was old, said Muyunda…
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NAM_2017-03_Poachers hit Indongos farm again_Namibian Sun.pdf | 68.57 KB |
A man suspected of having travelled from Namibia was arrested at the Hong Kong International Airport on Friday in connection with 12 rhino horns found in express air parcels.
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NAM_2017-03_Suspected Nam rhino horns seized in China_The Namibian.pdf | 213.05 KB |
The lawyers of two Chinese nationals arrested for possession of rhino horns in January say their clients should be granted bail because the case against them is deeply flawed and would likely not lead to a conviction.
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NAM_2017-03_Lawyers dispute evidence in rhino case_Namibian Sun.pdf | 106.31 KB |
The carcass of another black rhino has been found in the Kunene Region, making it the third rhino poaching incident in Namibia this year. According to the spokesperson of the Namibian Police, Edwin Kanguatjivi, the carcass of a black rhino calf was discovered on 15 March at Kliprivier in the Grootberg area. "The horns of the rhino were hacked off with a sharp unknown object," said Kanguatjivi.
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NAM_2017-03_Rhino carcass found at Grootberg_Namibian Sun.pdf | 103.79 KB |
Tomorrow is the United Nations world wildlife day and the Ministry of Environment and Tourism has dedicated it to the protection of rhinos and elephants whose survival is threatened by poachers.
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NAM_2017-03_Ministry dedicated to protecting rhinos_elephants_The Namibian.pdf | 260.06 KB |
Rhino-poaching accused Gerson Kandjii and his five co-accused did not enter a plea before the Okahao Magistrate’s Court on Monday after their lawyer failed to make an appearance. Kandjii, 51, along with David Stephanus, 35, Karunga Martin, Hinu Lucky, Daniel Nghidinwa and Kakuva Tjeparu were arrested in November 2014 and charged with poaching four critically endangered black rhinos in Etosha National Park.
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NAM_2017-03_Kandjii on cross-country court spree_Namibian Sun.pdf | 92.24 KB |