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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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.
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NAM_2023_07_Namibia reports record level of rhino poaching_Al Jazeera.pdf | 215.55 KB |
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.
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SA_2023_07_Five alleged rhino poachers arrested in the Kruger Park_Letaba Herald.pdf | 426.58 KB |
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.
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SA_2023_07_Poacher sentenced to 22 years in prison for killing two rhinos_TimesLive.pdf | 223.52 KB |
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.
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SA_2023_07_S Africa takes aerial route to fight rhino poaching_Chinadaily.pdf | 257.28 KB |
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.
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SA_2023_07_Hawks make arrest after theft of 50 rhino horns from North West stockpile_News24.pdf | 271.19 KB |
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.
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SA_2023_07_Hawks arrest foreign national for dealing in pangolin scales in Durban_IOL.pdf | 303.22 KB |
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.
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KEN_2023_-07_Kenya vows to combat illegal trade in iconic species via enhanced partnership_NewsGhana.pdf | 528.08 KB |
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 Windhoek High Court on Tuesday granted the State leave to appeal the prison sentences imposed in the case of four Chinese nationals convicted of attempting to smuggle rhino horns out of Namibia in 2014. The four Chinese nationals were arrested between March and May 2014 and were each sentenced to 14 years' imprisonment in the Windhoek Regional Court on 30 September 2016. Not happy with the sentences, Senior State Advocate Simba Nduna then approached the High Court with an urgent application for the prosecution to be allowed leave to appeal against the sentences…
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NAM_2017-07_State can appeal sentences in rhino case_Namibian Sun.pdf | 78.49 KB |
The High Court here on Tuesday allowed the State to appeal the prison sentences imposed in the case of four Chinese nationals convicted of attempting to smuggle rhino horns out of Namibia in 2014.
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NAM_2017-02_State allowed to appeal rhino sentences_The Namibian.pdf | 628.23 KB |
The ministry of environment and tourism has issued corrected statistics on wildlife crimes since 2014. Huge inconsistencies have been uncovered in the environment ministry's statistics on wildlife crimes, with conflicting statistics on the number of poaching suspects arrested. Last week, the ministry released figures on the nationalities of people arrested in wildlife crimes in Namibia between 2014 and 2017. These figures did not correspond with the figures issued to Namibian Sun in February during an exclusive interview with the environment minister. Upon…
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NAM_2017-07_Poaching stats confusion_Namibian Sun.pdf | 110.13 KB |
Anti-poaching organisation 'Help our Rhinos NOW Namibia' (HoRN.NAM) has called on the public in the Kunene region and across the country to report wildlife crimes.
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NAM_2017-07_N$10 000 reward for reporting poaching_The Namibian.pdf | 556.88 KB |
The N$300 000 that was paid to get a Chinese national bailed out of jail following his arrest on a charge of possession of rhino horns early this year was declared finally forfeited to the state yesterday.
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NAM_2017-07_State takes bail money of fugitive Chinese_The Namibian.pdf | 688 KB |
Erongo police are hunting for suspected poachers who killed a pregnant rhino cow on a game lodge near Omaruru over the weekend. The owner of the farm declined to comment, and requested this newspaper not to mention the name of the lodge for fear that it may attract more illegal activity for the rest of the game on the farm.
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NAM_2017-07_Pregnant rhino poached near Omaruru_The Namibian.pdf | 182.13 KB |