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The netizens were reacting to the arrest of five men caught harvesting the endangered 424 Clavias marebelius plants in Nieuwoudtville, Northern Cape. The SAPS reportedly pounced on the unsuspecting culprits on 27 June 2024 after receiving information about the alleged plant poaching. The men, aged between 21 and 30, had allegedly harvested about R2.7 million worth of the protected plant.

The recent seizure in Thailand of 48 lemurs and more than 1,200 critically endangered tortoises endemic to Madagascar underscores the global scale of wildlife trafficking networks that use Thailand as a transshipment hub. The operation was aided by intelligence from a joint transnational investigation between Thai law enforcement agencies and international antitrafficking organizations working to dismantle global wildlife trafficking networks spanning Asia, Africa and South America.

On June 3, a man was arrested at the Bangui Mpoko Airport in the Central African Republic (CAR) for illegal transport of ivory. This is the second case of ivory smuggling in Bangui in the span of just one week. The arrested man is a Central African Citizen who didn’t have any identity document with him despite his intention to travel abroad. The police confiscated several suitcases filled to the brim with ivory from this Central African citizen.

Tanzania is home to wild herds of buffalo, wildebeest, hartebeest, and impala that have been hunted for meat by generations of indigenous communities. In 2019, Tanzania’s late President called on the country’s authorities to establish a mechanism that will allow Tanzania's to access wild meat, counter rampant poaching and illegal bushmeat trade through a pioneering set of national laws. By early 2020, the Game Meat Selling Regulations (GMSR) - new legislation for the legal sourcing, selling, and consumption of wild meat - had come into force.

Four suspected rhino poachers died in two separate incidents in South Africa's internationally renowned Kruger National Park this month (June). The park on South Africa's eastern boundary is bordered by Mozambique and Zimbabwe and for the first time was last year overtaken by KwaZulu-Natal as the apparent venue of choice for armed poachers seeking rhino horn.

In January 2019, the arrest and imminent prosecution of several Vietnamese wildlife traffickers in Kampala excited wildlife conservationists in Uganda and abroad who saw it as an opportunity to disrupt a cartel that had been growing and widening in eastern Africa over two decades. But, the conservationists' excitement soon turned to despair, if not disappointment as they watched the case get smothered and eventually dismissed from Uganda's Anti-Corruption Court, reports Ronald Musoke. Five years on, there are more unanswered questions as to why this case collapsed.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism (MEFT) this week expressed deep sorrow following two separate fatal elephant attacks on 17 June within the country. The first incident involved the tragic death of Gert Van der Walt, a renowned professional hunter, during a hunting expedition. The ministry identified the elephant involved as a problem-causing animal and issued a trophy hunting permit accordingly. Van der Walt, known for his adherence to hunting ethics and his pivotal role in resolving human-wildlife conflicts, was highly respected within the conservation…

South Africa, where 79% of the world's rhinos live, said it aims to come up with a plan by the end of 2030 to dismantle an almost half-century ban on trading the endangered animals' horns. The proposal, contained in a draft of the country's first rhino biodiversity-management plan released late Tuesday, is controversial because poaching of the animals for their horns has decimated their populations across Africa. The horns are ground into powder and sold in east Asia where they are falsely believed to cure cancer and other ailments.

The recent discovery of poaching at a restoration site has stunned the conservation community, leaving it in a state of disbelief and anger. This viral TikTok video showcases a conservationist's dismay as he uncovers the theft of valuable plants. "This beach restoration site in the Bay Area used to be all invasive ice plant, and it should be covered in native succulent flowers. But people are poaching the Dudleya and picking their flowers for profit," Dickson explains in the video caption.

There was barely a dry eye in the Kwale courtroom last Monday afternoon, June 10th, 2024, when Augustine Odwori Malingo and Nancy Akoth Owino were sentenced by Principal Magistrate Lillian Lewa. They had been found guilty of possession of wildlife trophies that included 4 ivory tusk pieces weighing 500 grammes and 1 hippo tooth weighing a similar amount from their 2019 arrest.

The ownership of the Henties Bay Seal Products Factory is again being disputed after the company failed in its bid to reclaim 501 boxes of seized seal products The bid to reclaim the products was dismissed in the Katutura Magistrate's Court recently. Seal Products is harvesting and processing a seal quota in their Henties Bay and Lüderitz factories. The controversy began on 10 January when the Namibian Revenue Agency (NAMRA) conducted a coordinated intervention at a warehouse in Sun Industrial Park, Windhoek, shared by Seal Products and Golden Lion Investment CC.

Wildlife organisation, Wild Africa Fund has welcomed the news of the decline in elephant poaching but warns that the threat to Africa's elephants persists. This, as a new report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has revealed that elephant poaching is on the decline. The reduction of cases has been linked to the closure of key domestic ivory markets which has significantly reduced demand.

A wildlife warden on Wednesday raised alarm over the increase in poaching and the cutting down of trees at the Badingilo National Park. Speaking to reporters at the park, acting Warden, Maj. Butrus Simon, said the killing of the wildlife and deforestation have been exacerbated by the economic hardship in the country. "The poaching activities inside the park are due to the current situation. You will find that many poachers kill the animals and cut the trees," Simon said.

Police and wildlife authorities in Malawi have arrested two men suspected of having killed an elephant in Kasungu National Park. Residents of villages just outside the park's boundaries informed police about two men selling elephant meat, who were subsequently found in possession of 16.6 kg (36.6 lbs) of ivory.

Southern African nations are at it again. Nyasha Chingono reported in late May that those “hosting the largest elephant populations in the world made a fresh pitch…to be allowed to sell their $1bn ivory stockpiles”, purportedly to allocate it towards conservation. How they derive this figure is unclear, and the report doesn’t question its veracity. Current ivory prices are around US$400/kg in illicit markets in the East and averaging about $92/kg across Africa (except for Nigeria which has now become the continent’s major export hub).

Poaching and illegal coal mining threaten the future of Matabeleland's elephant population. Nokuthaba Mathema investigates Ivory stockpile: The elephant herds of Matabeleland are primary targets of ‘sponsored poaching’ with the collusion of state officials, says one expert. Photo: AP/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi In the shadows of Zimbabwe’s environmental management lies a devastating truth: environmental crimes, such as poaching, illegal wildlife trade and illicit coal mining continue to afflict Zimbabwe’s Matabeleland province in the south-west of the country.

Environmental history was made on Friday 7 June 2024 when the last of 120 white rhinos was released into the network of private and communal reserves on the western border of the Kruger National Park. The operation was carried out under a strict veil of secrecy to ensure its security.

In diesem Jahr wurden in Namibia schon insgesamt 47 Nashörner gewildert, von denen 32 Kadaver im Etoscha-Nationalpark gefunden wurden. Nach Angaben des Sprechers des Umweltministeriums, Romeo Muyunda, handelt es sich bei 33 um Spitzmaulnashörner und 14 um Breitmaulnashörner. "Von den 47 Nashörnern, die in diesem Jahr bisher gewildert wurden, wurden zusätzlich zu den 32 in Etoscha acht Spitzmaulnashörner auf Farmen, die Teil des Nashornschutz-Projekts sind, gewildert. Davon sechs auf privaten Farmen und eines in der Kunene-Region", sagte Muyunda. Vor weniger als einem Monat, am 13…

Altesaam 47 renosters is al vanjaar in Namibië gestroop waarvan 32 karkasse in die Etosha Nasionale Park gevind is.Volgens die woordvoerder van die ministerie van die omgewing, bosbou en toerrisme, Romeo Muyunda, is 33 swartrenosters en 14 witrenosters gestroop. 

A total of 47 rhinos have been poached in Namibia this year, of which 32 carcasses were found in the Etosha National Park. According to the spokesperson of the Ministry of the Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Romeo Muyunda, 33 black rhinos and 14 white rhinos were poached.

Altesaam 47 renosters is al vanjaar in Namibië gestroop waarvan 32 karkasse in die Etosha Nasionale Park gevind is. 

A total of 47 rhinos have been poached in Namibia this year, of which 32 carcasses have been found in the Etosha National Park.

Environment and tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta has come out strongly against CITES' decision to ban ivory from being sold on international markets. In an interview with New Era on the sidelines of the just-ended KAZA summit in Livingstone, he said if the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) refuses member states to sell off ivory stockpiles, they will withdraw their membership. "If CITES refuses, we have some alternatives and plans. We can go for arbitration.

In early May, the environment ministry's forestry directorate raided farms in the Kunene Region where protected mopane trees are being harvested and exported for charcoal and firewood. Trucks carrying loads of wood and charcoal - without permits to do so - have already been seized, the directorate confirmed. An outraged charcoal producer in the Outjo district, who preferred to remain anonymous, claimed a forestry official threatened him and demanded a bribe from him to not stop his charcoal business.

The Namibian police in the Otjozondjupa Region have arrested a 19-year-old suspect who was allegedly found in possession of a warthog carcass and was unable to explain how it came into his possession. The arrest was made at Farm Euros in the Kombat area on Saturday morning. It is alleged that the suspect entered the farm without the owner's permission and "unlawfully and intentionally" slaughtered a warthog worth N$7,000, which was then found in his possession. Retrieved from the Facebook Site of Informanté.

Rhino horns, popular for centuries in Asia as an aphrodisiac, are worth an astounding $450,000 each on the black market. Poaching is rife, well-organised, and difficult to stop due to endemic corruption in many African nations. South Africa's Kruger National Park has lost about 7000 rhinos to poaching in recent years - poachers kill the animal, making it easier to take the horn.

In the shadows of Zimbabwe's environmental management lies a devastating truth: environmental crimes, such as poaching, illegal wildlife trade and illicit coal mining continue to afflict Zimbabwe's Matabeleland province in the south-west of the country. In May this year, a tip-off by locals ended in one death, two arrests and the discovery of endangered animal parts. Detectives from the Crime Investigation Department confronted three alleged poachers on the outskirts of the capital city, Bulawayo, on May 18 - Jabulani Chamiti (34), Philani Ndlovu (23) and Cosmas Sebele (56).

People who are shooting birds of prey should be prosecuted, says FreeMe Wildlife, who are on a mission to protect the raptors amid a rise in their killings. Tammy Caine, a raptor specialist at FreeMe Wildlife, said they have recently had two birds of prey - an African harrier hawk and a spotted eagle owl - come in with pellets in their wings. "While the African harrier hawk is still in care, the spotted eagle owl sadly had to be euthanised.

'n Man is Donderdag by 'n vulstasie op Okahandja glo met 'n lewende ietermagô in sy besit in hegtenis geneem.

Die drie vermeende ivoorsmokkelaars, mnre. Dirk Vermeulen, Edgar Clark en Michael Lusse, is Vrydag in die Walvisbaaise landdroshof op borgtog van N$30 000 elk vrygelaat.

Die eienaar van ’n wildsplaas op Outjo, waar 34 renosterhorings in Augustus uit ’n instapkluis gesteel is, is verheug twee verdagtes is in hegtenis geneem.

The arrest of more suspects connected to the theft of 34 rhino horns from a safe in a house in Outjo might follow after two men, Hofan Amakali and Elias Mutwikange, were denied bail after their first appearance in the town’s Magistrate’s Court on Friday. Inspector Maurene Mbeha, spokesperson of the Namibian Police in the Otjozondjupa Region, confirmed the arrest of Amakali and Mutwikange in the middle of last week.

Die drie vermeende ivoorsmokkelaars, mnre. Dirk Vermeulen, Edgar Clark en Michael Lusse, is Vrydag in die Walvisbaaise landdroshof op borgtog van N$30 000 elk vrygelaat. Tydens hul borgtogaansoek Donderdag en Vrydag het al drie beskuldigdes getuig hulle was nooit bewus van die olifanttande se oorsprong nie.

Three men accused of smuggling elephant tusks and attempting to sell the wildlife contraband to undercover detectives in Walvis Bay is set to bring a formal bail application to the Walvis Bay Magistrate’s court later today. Dirk Vermeulen, Edgar Clark were arrested almost three weeks ago and their co-accused Micheal Lusse was arrested a few days later in connection with the sale of two elephant tusks. They were all remanded in custody during the initial appearance in the Walvis Bay Magistrate’s Court Three more suspects have been arrested after the Namibian Police…

Altesaam 280 polisielede van oraloor die land word in teenstropingseenhede op 'n driemaandelikse roteringsbasis in die Palmwagkonsessie en die Etosha en Bwabwata Nasionale Parke ontplooi. Só het die polisiehoof, lt.genl. Sebastian Ndeitunga, verlede week by 'n slypskool vir wildmisdaadwetgewing aan ondersoekbeamptes en aanklaers in die hoofstad gesê.

Zwei Nashörner sind im Dordabis-Distrikt Wilderern zum Opfer gefallen. Die zwei Dickhäuter sollen zwischen dem 9. und 11. September auf einer Farm erschossen worden sein. Wie die Polizei gestern nach Redaktionsschluss mitteilte, hat der Farmeigentümer am vergangenen Donnerstag die enthornten Kadaver entdeckt. Die Polizei geht von einem Täter aus, doch bisher wurde noch niemand verhaftet und die Ermittlung dauere an.

A CIVIL servant in the employ of the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture was arrested early on Wednesday morning after he attempted to flee from police who was tracking his movements because of his involvement in elephant poaching. The arrest of the education minister official follows an intricate undercover tracking operation launched by the Namibian Police and officials from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism in the Zambezi Region. Zambezi Regional Crime Coordinator, Deputy Commissioner Evans Simasiku told Informanté in an exclusive interview that the suspect…

Altesaam 13 verdagtes is verlede week vanaf 9 tot 15 September in verband met wildmisdaad in hegtenis geneem. Vyf uit die 13 verdagtes is vas oor renosterstropery of die handel in horings, en een oor olifantstropery of handel in ivoor. Volgens die weeklikse statistieke van wildmisdaad van die Namibiese polisie se eenheid vir beskermde hulpbronne (PRU) en die ministerie van die omgewing en toerisme se intelligensie- en ondersoekeenheid, is sewe nuwe sake verlede week aanhangig gemaak. Beslagleggings is op twee elk renosterhorings, olifanttande, lewende ietermagôs,…

The Minister of Environment and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, has called on the Namibian police to enforce strict bail conditions to reoccurring poachers  as many of the wildlife trafficking incidents that have been reported are mostly committed by criminals who have been released from police custody on bail. He said that because the poaching business in enticing and profitable, many of the suspects commit the same offense immediately after being released on bail as no one is carefully monitoring their movement and whereabouts. 

Die vermeende renosterstroper wat Sondag glo op polisie- en weermaglede op 'n plaas buite Otavi losgebrand het, het vanoggend in dié dorp se landdroshof verskyn.

A 40-year-old suspected rhino poacher exchanged gunfire with a team of 15 Namibian Police officers and members of the Namibian Defence Force for nearly two hours on a farm outside Otavi on Sunday.

THE 25-year-old Tjingeje Muhuka and Mbinda Kenahama also aged 25, who stands accused of attempting to sell an elephant tusk to undercover detectives at the start of the weekend, were remanded in custody until 19 October after the made their first appearance in the Walvis Bay Magistrate’s Court on Monday. The two accused persons were arrested on charges of possession and trade in protected wildlife products after they attempted to sell a single elephant tusk and a dried pangolin skin to undercover detectives In Walvis Bay on Friday evening.

Die vermeende renosterstroper wat Sondag glo op polisie- en weermaglede op 'n plaas buite Otavi losgebrand het, het vanoggend in dié dorp se landdroshof verskyn. Mnr. Joseph Ngoma (42) het op klagte van die onwettige jag van beskermde wild, asook die besit van 'n renosterhoring en 'n ongelisensieerde vuurwapen en ammunisie verskyn. 'n Klag van poging tot moord is bygevoeg omdat hy Sondag glo op 15 polisie- en weermaglede geskiet het toe hulle hom in hegtenis wou neem.

Die Namibiese polisie het verlede week drie olifanttande, twee -velle en een stuk ivoor gekonfiskeer. 
Vier verdagtes is in verband met olifantstropery en -ivoorsmokkelary in hegtenis geneem, lui statistieke van wildmisdaad van 2 tot 8 September wat deur die polisie se eenheid vir bekermde hulpbronne (PRU) en die ministerie van die omgewing en toerisme se intelligensieen ondersoekeenheid verskaf is.

Geheime polisie het twee mans Saterdag op heterdaad betrap toe hulle glo twee olifanttande van die hand probeer sit het. Geen borgtog is Maandag aan mnre. Dirk Vermeulen (51) and Edgar Clark (41) toegestaan ná hulle die tande na bewering aan polisiebeamptes probeer verkwansel het nie.

A STING operation executed by members of the Namibian Police in the Erongo Region that were joined by officers from other regions in country saw the arrest of two men in Walvis Bay who attempted to sell elephant tusks to undercover detectives. According to Deputy Commissioner Erastus Iikuyu, Erongo Regional Crime Investigations Coordinator, the two suspects aged 41 and 51 were arrested after they tried to finalise the transaction on Saturday afternoon.

NINE men were arrested over the past for the poaching of protected wildlife species. This is according to environment ministry spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda, who stated that the suspects form part of the three newly registered wildlife criminal cases. It is alleged that Gideon Gao-Naseb, Timotheus Kasera and Champion Haraseb killed a rhino at the Omateva farm in the Omitara constituency. They now face charges of hunting of specially protected species and the removal of protected products. The trio was arrested on 20 August and have been remanded in custody.