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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.

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.

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.

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.

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."

One of the world’s most famous game reserves, Thula Thula in South Africa, has survived the Covid-19 pandemic without any loss of wild animal to poaching. Francoise Malby-Anthony, who runs the game reserve
said that she kept on all her anti-poaching staff throughout covid which prevented any animals being killed by poachers.

Der Prozess gegen den der Nashorn-Wilderei beschuldigten Prediger Jackson Babi und dessen mutmaßlichen Komplizen Friza Dumeni, hat gestern eine Wendung genommen, als die Staatsanwaltschaft auch gegen einen Anhänger des selbsternannten Propheten formal Anklage erhoben hat.

The trial of preacher Jackson Babi, accused of poaching rhino and his alleged accomplice Friza Dumeni, took a turn yesterday when the prosecution also formally charged a supporter of the self-proclaimed prophet.

Die Namibiese polisie het verlede week op vyf olifanttande en een elk renosterhoring, ietermagôvel en ‘n voertuig beslag gelê.

Last week, Namibian police seized five elephant tusks and one rhinoceros horn, a pangolin skin and a vehicle.

Die vermeende renosterstroper, pastoor Jackson Babi en een van sy kerkvolgelinge, mnr. Ananias Ananias, het vandag in die Windhoek-landdroshof op twee klagte van die oortreding van die teenkorrupsiewet verskyn. 

The alleged rhino poacher, pastor Jackson Babi and one of his church followers, Mr. Ananias Ananias, appeared in the Windhoek Magistrate's Court today on two charges of violating the anti-corruption law.

An attempt by Prophet Jackson Babi to bribe the detective investigating poaching charges against him to bear false testimony in court during his formal bail application, has caused the man of God to sink deeper into legal trouble. Besides an amount of N$13 000 in cash police officers searching the cells during the past weekend also found two mobile phones in the possession of the accused persons while they were incarcerated at the Windhoek Police Station which added even more charges to the accused persons’ charge sheets.

A ministerial panel is reviewing policies on international trade in rhino products. Any move to legalise this trade would be a disaster - for the remaining population of wild rhinos, for South Africa's tourism and for
impoverished people living near our wildlife reserves.

Twee Namibiese mans, Jimmy Habate Gawaseb en Friedriek Stuurman, is op 2 Junie in die Kamanjab-landdroshof skuldig bevind aan die onwettige jag van ‘n kameelperd in Augustus 2018.

Two Namibian men, Jimmy Habate Gawaseb and Friedriek Stuurman, were convicted in the Kamanjab Magistrate's Court on June 2 for illegally hunting a giraffe in August 2018.

While only two new cases of wildlife crimes were reported recently, eight suspects were arrested and charged. At Katima Mulilo, Roster Mazila Mukendwa was arrested on 14 June for the illegal hunting of protected game. He was found in possession of a duiker carcass and charged with contravening the Nature Conservation Ordinance Act. In a separate incident, Gerhard Iyambo was arrested on 17 June at Okahao in connection with an old case, dating back to February, regarding conspiring to hunt a rhino. 

Geen afname in olifantstropery in Afrika. Ondanks nuwe navorsing deur Elephants Without Borders (EWB) wat aandui olifantstropery in Afrika toon sedert 2011 geen afname nie, is slegs twee olifante tot dusver vanjaar in Namibië gestroop. Volgens die woordvoerder van die ministerie van die omgewing, bosbou en toerisme, mnr. Romeo Muyunda, is slegs twee olifante sover in 2020 in onderskeidelik die Zambezi- en Kunenestreek gestroop.

The Rhino Files are periodic articles exploring the complexity of rhino conservation in Namibia.

Vier Namibiese mans is verlede Donderdag by Karasburg in hegtenis geneem met glo een gemsbok- en drie koedoekarkasse in hul besit.

Four Namibian men were arrested last Thursday in Karasburg with one oryx and three kudu carcasses in their possession.

The regulatory measures apply to all sub-species of black rhino found in South Africa, including the Eastern black rhino, and the white rhino.

Zimbabwe will not pull out of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in order to sell its stockpile of ivory tusks worth US$600 million, the Minister of Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Mangaliso Ndlovu, has said.

New research led by Elephants Without Borders (EWB) reveals that poaching of African elephants for their ivory has not decreased since 2011 in Western, Southern, and Central Africa. As a result, continued efforts to combat poaching will be necessary to save elephant populations. The new study was published June 23rd in Scientific Reports, in collaboration from researchers at the University of Washington and the Amboseli Trust for Elephants.

A soldier was arrested after he was found in possession of a pangolin as he was looking for a buyer in Msasa,
Harare.

A total of five wildlife products were seized: two oryx carcasses, a pangolin skin and two aardvark carcasses.

The Covid-19 pandemic has led to a worldwide crisis of food insecurity and unemployment. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) warns of rising hunger and poverty. Commentators, particularly from the global North, have raised concerns about the implications for biodiversity. The first is that in some places, budgets for biodiversity conservation have been reduced due to a drastic drop in tourism revenue and the diversion of funds and forces to health-related functions. Secondly, growing poverty and the loss of livelihoods may drive people to poaching.

Botswana began removing the horns from its rhinos and moving them away from the iconic Okavango Delta as an unprecedented poaching crisis threatens their survival in the country. The government said that at least 56 of the animals had been killed by poachers in the past two years, marking the worst onslaught since Botswana’s black rhino population was wiped out in 1992 and the number of white rhinos dropped to just 27.

Umweltministerium setzt auf Nachhaltigkeit und bekämpft erfolgreich die Wilderei. Obwohl der Sektor als maßgebliches Wirtschaftsstandbein gehandelt wird, steht das Ministerium für Umwelt, Forstwirtschaft und Tourismus mit seinem Ausgabenplan im namibischen Haushalt für 2020-21 gerade Mal an 16. Stelle von insgesamt 33 Ausgabenposten. Der Minister verlässt sich indessen auf viel Hilfe aus Deutschland und von weiteren Entwicklungspartnern.

Northern Cape-The Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation has resulted in the arrest of a 48-year-old suspect for allegedly trading in a pangolin. The suspect who originates from Botswana was arrested on Tuesday after information surfaced that he intended selling a pangolin that is an endangered species. A sting operation resulted in the suspect being arrested after he was found in possession of the said pangolin.

The Chama Subordinate Court has sentenced a poacher to seven years imprisonment for illegal possession of elephant ivory weighing 10 kilograms. Lovemore Nkhowani, 60, a former wildlife police officer, turned into a notorious elephant poacher nicknamed Mbanje, was charged with one count of Unlawful Possession of Prescribed Trophy, that is elephant ivory, contrary to section 130(1) of the Zambia wildlife Act No. 14 of 2015.

Lubango, Angola, June 16 (Xinhua) - Two men have been arrested on Tuesday by the National Police of Angola while they were heading towards the central Huila province with 28 kg of ivory.

Botswana's Wildlife Department had embarked on an operation to relocate and dehorn all rhinos to tackle poaching in the country. According to a statement issued by the department on Monday, the Okavango Delta rhino population had been hard hit with 56 animals reported poached as of May 4.

'n Namibiese man, mnr. Harry Garoeb, is Saterdag by Outjo glo met twee erdvarkkarkasse in hegtenis geneem.

A Namibian man, Mr. Harry Garoeb, was allegedly arrested on Saturday at Outjo with two aardvark carcasses.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism has allocated 36% of its budget to wildlife and protected area management. This was announced by minister of environment, forestry and tourism Pohamba Shifeta during his budget motivation in the National Assembly on Thursday.

A tip-off led to the arrest of a man caught attempting to sell a live pangolin.

The Chinese Academy of Engineering claims that the 'legal' wildlife industry is valued at $74 billion. South Africa is the largest exporter of live wild animals to Asia. At least 5 035 live wild animals were exported from South Africa to China between 2016 and 2019, according to The Breaking Point report published by the EMS Foundation and Ban Animal Trading (BAT).

Forestry Commission officials in Victoria Falls last week recovered oranges, cucumbers and amarula fruits in a plastic bag laced with cyanide poison. It is suspected that some poachers left them hanging on a tree in a bid to kill elephants in the forest. National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident.

Namibia has managed to arrest more than 1,790 suspected poachers of high valued and iconic species such as rhino and elephant at the end of 2018 up to May 2020, an official said this week.

The Namibian Police arrested a deputy director in the Ministry of Lands at its Gobabis sub-regional office for her role in the alleged illegal hunting of an oryx valued at N$6 000. Mclesia Mbaisa (49) who heads the Division of Land Reform was arrested alongside her brother Marvin Mbaisa (36) and Rudolf Katjiuanjo (35) following the illegal hunting of the wild animal at Heath Bell resettlement farm in the Gobabis district.

A rhino horn, two elephant tusks, a pangolin skin and a crocodile skin were seized by the police last week. Thirteen suspects were arrested in connection with rhino poaching or trafficking and two for elephant poaching or trafficking. Five wildlife products were seized: a rhino horn, two elephant tusks, a pangolin skin and a crocodile skin.

China verwyder ietermagô van tradisionele medisynelys - Beter beskerming

Pastoor Jackson Babi (30) van die House of Joy Ministries het Maandag in die landdroshof op Gobabis op nóg 'n klag van renosterstropery verskyn. Dit volg nadat die selfverklaarde profeet verbind word met 'n sindikaat van minstens agt beskuldigdes wat glo verantwoordelik is vir die stropery van vier renosters op twee verskillende plase in die Gobabis-distrik.

The police suspect that two rhino horns, allegedly found at the Windhoek house of religious preacher Jackson Babi, had been kept in a refrigerator before Babi handed the horns and a firearm over to a police officer two weeks ago.

Flamboyant preacher Jackson Babi yesterday withdrew an urgent application that his lawyer Kadhila Amoomo had filed in the High Court last week to have his arrest and the search at his house declared as unlawful. 
Just as Judge Harald Geier was ready to hear evidence, Amoomo filed the request to withdraw the matter and offered costs to the lawyers of the prosecutor general, the inspector general of the Namibian Police and the magistrate of the district of Gobabis, who had indicated that they would oppose the application. 

An urgent application by self-proclaimed prophet Jackson Babi to, amongst others, review and set aside his arrest in connection with rhino poaching was withdrawn yesterday. The High Court application was filed by his lawyer Kadhila Amoomo on 4 June. However, Magistrate Linus Samunzala last week ordered Babi to be transferred to the Gobabis Magistrate's Court to appear on a charge of hunting specially protected game.

Der selbsternannte Prophet Jackson Babi, der des illegalen Besitzes von zwei Rhinozeros-Hörner angeklagt ist, wird bis auf weiteres in Haft bleiben, nachdem sein Prozess gestern am Magistratsgericht in Gobabis auf den 15. September vertagt wurde.

Self-proclaimed prophet Jackson Babi, who is accused of illegally possessing two rhinoceros horns, will remain in custody until his trial commences at the Gobabis magistrate's court on September 15.

Serious crimes are being committed in Namibia - crimes against our precious wildlife, our natural heritage and, ultimately, our people. The criminal syndicates behind poaching are highly organised, professional and very clever. They are growing rich by stealing Namibia’s natural heritage, using poor Namibians to do their dirty work for them in return for less than 10% of the product’s market value. Those poaching on the ground thus bear all the risks associated with illegal activities, yet see precious little of the profit.

Religious preacher Jackson Babi, who is facing criminal charges after rhino horns were allegedly discovered in his house in Windhoek, is claiming the police's search of his home and also his second arrest last week were unlawful.

Ten wildlife products were seized, which included six rhino horns, two elephant tusks and two giraffe carcasses. A total of seven new wildlife crimes were reported recently, while 16 suspects were arrested. Eleven of the suspects were arrested in connection with rhino poaching and/or trafficking cases, while two others were arrested for elephant poaching and/or trafficking.

Police in the Western Cape continue to crack down on abalone poaching and smuggling, and a separate offender gets 20 years behind bars.

Local so-called prophet Jackson Babi and his co-accused Frizans Naululu Dumeni who were due to appear in the Windhoek Magistrate’s Court yesterday for a bail application had their criminal case postponed to 24 July for further police investigations. The duo were arrested for illegally possessing two rhino horns and for the possession of a firearm and ammunition without a licence.

Ses Namibiese mans is verlede Woensdag in die Okahandja-landdroshof vir die sameswering om 'n renoster te stroop en die oortreding van die wet op vuurwapens en ammunisie gevonnis.

Six Namibian men were sentenced on Wednesday in Okahandja Magistrate's Court for conspiring to poach a rhino and violating the firearms and ammunition law.

The Ministry and the UNDP said biodiversity is especially significant to Namibia with about 70% of people depending on natural resources based productive systems for survival. "Even though many livelihoods depend on the environment, more needs to be done to safeguard and foster its ability to sustain livelihoods," they said. According to the two, poaching is one of the biggest threats to the country’s natural environment as it threatens the population of our iconic wildlife species such as elephants and rhinos.