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Namibian Wildlife Crimes article archive

This archive of published media articles about wildlife crime in Namibia aims to:

  • provide easy public access to published information and statistics
  • enable easy stakeholder access to articles
  • provide a comprehensive archive of wildlife crime reporting in Namibia

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.

Explore your search results using the filter checkboxes, or amend your search or start a new search.

Displaying results 1 - 50 of 66
Wednesday, 27 March 2024
Amutenja H-M 2024. Three NDF members arrested for poaching in Mangetti National Park.

Three members of the Namibian Defence Force (NDF) were apprehended on Friday, within the confines of Mangetti National Park. The arrests followed after park officials saw the perpetrators climbing over a fence during a routine anti-poaching patrol and fence inspection. The three soldiers were arrested while attempting to claim over the Mangetti Park’s boundary fence into the Mururani location, bearing bags laden with dried game meat ranging from Eland, Kudu and Wildebeest.

Wednesday, 27 March 2024
Moser K 2024. Wildstropers se Nemesis.

In kamoefleerdrag, swart stewels en ’n semi-outomatiese wapen in sy holster, is Marcus Jacobs soggens reg vir aksie. Wat dalk na ’n militêre operasie klink, is in werklikheid die daaglikse roetine van ’n man met ’n missie: die beskerming van bedreigde wild teen stropers. Jacobs is die hoofbestuurder van Namibia Wildlife Protection (NWP), ’n private sekuriteitsmaatskappy wat bedreigde wildspesies in Namibië teen stropers beskerm. Dit sluit in "hoë teikenspesies" soos renosters en olifante. "Ons kan nie meer ons kosbare spesies sonder wapens beskerm nie.

Wednesday, 27 March 2024
Moser K 2024. NWP ernstig oor bewaring.
Namibia Wildlife Protection se veldwagters ontvang opleiding in onder meer die hantering van wapens, taktiese bewegings en spoorsny. Namibia Wildlife Protection rangers receive training in, amongst others, weapons handling, tactical movements and tracking.
Wednesday, 27 March 2024
Mpaka C 2024. Large ivory seizure in Mozambique comes amid worrying signs of increasing elephant poaching.

A major shipment of 651 pieces of elephant ivory has been seized in Mozambique en route to Dubai. Officials from Mozambique's Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) and the Tax Authority intercepted a container at Maputo port on 22 March 2024 and found the ivory concealed in a shipment of bags of corn. This is the third known large-scale seizure of elephant ivory exported from Mozambique since 2022.

Monday, 25 March 2024
Steynberg F 2024. Two jailed for possessing live Pangolin in Balaka.
The Senior Resident Magistrate’s Court sitting in Balaka district-Malawi has convicted and sentenced two men to 30 months and 36 months imprisonment with hard labor respectively, for the offense of being found in possession of protected species (Live Pangolin) contrary to Section 86 of the National Park and Wildlife Act.
Friday, 22 March 2024
Reiter C 2024. Mensch-Elefant-Konflikt weiterhin ein Problem.
Angolanischer Mann wird bei Ruacana von Elefanten angegriffen. Angolan man attacked by elephants near Ruacana.
Wednesday, 20 March 2024
Moser K 2024. Namibia Wildlife Protection führt Anti-Wilderei-Markt an.
Die AZ hat das führende Anti-Wilderei-Unternehmen in Namibia, Namibia Wildlife Protection (NWP), begleitet, und in Erfahrung gebracht: "Es besteht eine große Nachfrage nach Anti-Wilderei-Einheiten in der namibischen Farmbranche und ein massiver Markt für Anti-Wilderei-Dienstleistungen." Das sagt Salmon Vermaak, der Gründer und Direktor von Namibia Wildlife Protection. Er entschied sich, sich auf Nashörner und Elefanten zu spezialisieren. Inzwischen beschäftigt er über 200 Ranger auf 700 000 Hektar privatem Farmland.
Wednesday, 20 March 2024
2024. Zimbabwe: Two poachers gunned down, three arrested in mid-Zambezi.

In a recent incident in Katombora, Middle Zambezi Valley, two suspected poachers met a fatal end after engaging in a firefight with Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife (Zimparks) rangers. The confrontation resulted in the deaths of the poachers, while three others were apprehended. The rangers acted swiftly to protect wildlife and recovered 15 elephant tusks, along with a rifle and ammunition.

Tuesday, 19 March 2024
Smit E 2024. Growing number of leopard-hunting guides arrested.

A handful of hunting guides have been arrested in various parts of the country over the past few months, each charged with separate illegal activities related to leopard hunting. The ministry is working very closely with the police and has decided that if the industry cannot rid itself of illicit practices, then rigorous law enforcement is the only option.

Tuesday, 19 March 2024
2024. Mans betrap met beskermde plante.

Drie mans is die afgelope naweek in hegtenis geneem nadat hulle met beskermde plantspesies van ongeveer N$80 000 in die Kavango-Wesstreek betrap is. "Die drie verdagtes van onderskeidelik 27, 30 en 37 jaar oud, is Vrydag by die Namasira-polisiekontrolepunt gearresteer nadat hulle met 7 x 150 kg-sakke Cyphostemma, met 'n gewig van sowat 429 kg en ter waarde van N$79 288, betrap is," lui die Namibiese polisie se misdaadverslag. Volgens die verslag het die verdagtes nie 'n permit gehad wat hulle goedkeuring verleen het om die spesifieke beskermde plantspesies te oes of te vervoer…

Tuesday, 19 March 2024
Kheibes E 2024. Three men caught with protected plants worth N$80 000.

Three Namibians were nabbed last week after they were caught in possession of close to 450 kilograms of protected plants, estimated to be worth nearly N$80 000. According to the Namibian Police, the three men - aged 27, 30 and 37 - were caught at the Namasira police checkpoint in the Kavango West Region last Friday. Police discovered the men were transporting seven 150-kilogram bags containing 176 gouty-vine (cyphostemma) plants weighing, 429 kilograms in total. The pants were valued at N$79 288.

Wednesday, 13 March 2024
Steynberg F 2024. University student, accomplice jailed for possessing pangolin scales.
University student, accomplice jailed for possessing pangolin scales.
Friday, 8 March 2024
Denker H 2024. Leopardenjagd eskaliert.

In Namibia werden vermehrt Leoparden auf inakzeptable Weise gejagt. Jagdpraktiken, die der Tierquälerei nahekommen und nichts mehr mit naturschutzorientierter Jagd im Einklang mit der Natur zu tun haben, fassen in der Branche zunehmend Fuß - dem muss ein Ende gesetzt werden. In Namibia, leopards are increasingly being hunted in unacceptable ways. Hunting practices that come close to animal cruelty and no longer have anything to do with conservation-oriented hunting in harmony with nature are increasingly gaining a foothold in the industry - this must be put to an end.

Thursday, 7 March 2024
Ndalikokule P 2024. Court freezes car, residential block belonging to suspected poacher Bishop Burugu.

A Nairobi court has frozen ownership of a Mercedes Benz and a block of residential flats built on prime land within Allsops area in Ruaraka belonging to televangelist and businessman Jackson Mbugua Burugu. This is in connection with a case of poaching that is pending in court. Lady Justice Diana Kavedza of the Nairobi Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Division issued the freezing order following a suit filed by the Asset Recovery Agency. Burugu is a prominent Nairobi-based televangelist who is commonly referred to as 'Bishop'.

Wednesday, 6 March 2024
2024. Growing, growing, gone: safeguarding SA's illegally traded succulents.

South Africa's Succulent Karoo is home to flora that occur nowhere else on earth. But a rapidly escalating onslaught by criminal networks threatens many of these rare species. This webinar will showcase insights from a new ENACT report that explores the illegal market for ornamental succulents, focusing on South Africa’s multistakeholder efforts to counter the trade. Speakers will highlight key challenges and opportunities, and put forward recommendations to improve responses.

Monday, 4 March 2024
Amutenja H-M 2024. More than 600 rhinos were poached in ten years.

Between 2015 and February 2024, Namibia lost a staggering 631 rhinos due to poaching, marking a concerning downturn in its conservation success. This is according to statistics provided by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism last week during the Commemoration of World Wildlife Day 2024. Breaking down the figures year by year, statistics paint a grim picture of 97 rhinos poached in 2015 alone, with six reported to be poached in 2016 and five poached in 2017.

Monday, 4 March 2024
2024. Namibia: Deforestation and poaching threaten endangered species.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism has sounded the alarm on the rapid decline of wildlife habitats due to deforestation and industrial emissions, exacerbating the impacts of climate change and hindering efforts to sustainably manage natural resources. In a statement released over the weekend to mark World Wildlife Day, Romeo Muyunda, spokesperson for the ministry, highlighted the urgent need to confront the challenges confronting local wildlife.

Monday, 4 March 2024
Happiness L 2024. Rhino-poaching still a major concern for Namibian Government.

Windhoek, March 04-Namibia boasts a healthy population of wildlife species, and its conservation efforts are held in high regard globally. However, recent poaching statistics reveal a troubling trend, with the country losing a total of 631 rhinos over the past decade. According to Romeo Muyunda, spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism, Namibia recorded 97 rhino poachings in 2015, 66 in 2016, 55 in 2017, 84 in 2018, 61 in 2019, 48 in 2020, 53 in 2021, 92 in 2022, 67 in 2023, and 8 in 2024 to date.

Sunday, 3 March 2024
2024. Namibia warns of wildlife crisis due to deforestation, poaching.

Namibia's Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism said Saturday that rapid deforestation and industrial emissions in the country are causing habitat loss for rare and endangered wildlife, exacerbating climate change impacts such as droughts and floods, and hindering efforts to sustainably manage natural resources for future generations. In a statement commemorating World Wildlife Day, Romeo Muyunda, the ministry's spokesperson, underscored the critical need to address the challenges facing Namibia's wildlife.

Friday, 30 April 2021
2021. Two notorious poachers nabbed in Kajiado.

The team acting on an intelligence tip off managed to waylay the two suspects, David Musyimi and Mwendo Mumba while in possession Zebra and dik dik meat weighing approximately 180 kilograms and half a kilogram respectively. Other items recovered were two knives and a machete used by the suspects to kill the animals.

Friday, 30 April 2021
Hartman A 2021. Defence in ivory case targets 'dealing permit'.

The defence team representing three men accused of the illegal possession of, and dealing in two large elephant tusks worth about N$104 000, argued that there is no law in Namibia stating that a person is required to get a dealers permit when a permit to possess that product exists. Dirk Vermeulen (50), Edgar Clarke (41) and Michael Lusse (60) were arrested at Walvis Bay in 2019 during a sting operation involving the Namibian Police's Protected Resources Unit after they intended to sell the two tusks.

Thursday, 29 April 2021
2021. Kenya - two arrested with tusks in Meru.

Two suspects have been arrested at the Meru National Park for being in possession of five elephant tusks weighing 28 kilos with a street value of Sh2.8 million.

Thursday, 29 April 2021
2021. Kenya - Man arrested with an elephant tusk in Tsavo West National Park.

Kenya Wildlife Service has arrested a suspected poacher in possession of an elephant tusk at Elerai area in Tsavo West National Park. The tusk is suspected to be one of the two extracted from an elephant which was killed at Losoito in Tsavo West National Park, close to a month ago.

Thursday, 29 April 2021
Save The Rhino Trust Namibia (SRT) 2021. Mounting efforts to save rhinos in Namibia.

There are fewer than 5,630 black rhinos left in the wild, but the last remaining free-ranging population live in the Kunene and Erongo regions of North West Namibia. These special desert-adapted rhinos are protected by our partner Save the Rhino Trust (SRT). The past year has been especially difficult for SRT's team. They have not only had to cope with the ever-present threat of poaching and drought but also had to deal with the additional pressures brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Thursday, 29 April 2021
Smit E 2021. Six Namibians arrested for wildlife crimes.

Six suspects have been arrested in connection with wildlife crimes in six separate cases from 18 April to 25 April, while 10 illegal wildlife products were confiscated.

Thursday, 29 April 2021
Pretorius N 2021. Two imprisoned for attempting to sell injured pangolin.

Two men recently received a seven-year prison sentence each after they were found guilty on charges of trying to sell an injured pangolin.

Wednesday, 28 April 2021
Nair N 2021. White rhino population at KZN nature reserve dehorned.

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, funded and supported by conservation NGO Wildlife ACT, dehorned the white rhino population in Spioenkop Nature Reserve in KwaZulu-Natal over three days, making it one of the biggest rhino dehorning operations in the province. On Wednesday, Wildlife ACT, a registered non-profit organisation established to save Africa's iconic and endangered species from extinction, explained that dehorning of rhino populations was adopted as an effective tool in the fight to save the species from increasing poaching threats.

Tuesday, 27 April 2021
2021. Man arrested for hunting of protected game at Outjo.

A 29-year-old man was arrested for hunting specially protected game at Outjo on Friday, the Namibian Police Force (NamPol) has reported. In its weekend serious crime report issued Sunday, NamPol said the suspect was arrested after allegedly shooting an impala.

Tuesday, 27 April 2021
Nyika L 2021. Vic Falls City Council driver arrested for poaching.

A Victoria Falls City Council driver who hit a warthog while driving a municipal vehicle, skinned it and took the meat home for consumption has been arrested for poaching.

Monday, 26 April 2021
Dawood Z 2021. Poachers nabbed, elephant tusks recovered in Kruger National Park operation.

Durban - Three suspected poachers were arrested near the Crocodile Bridge Section of the Kruger National Park (KNP).

Monday, 26 April 2021
2021. Opinion - Wildlife crimes on a downtrend.

It is imperative that African countries as a continent recognise that we are faced with a similar issue, rhino poaching as a Wildlife crime. According to the non-profitable organization Save the Rhino Trust, Namibia holds almost a third of Africa's black rhino population, with a stronghold for the South Western black rhino subspecies. The ever-present threat of rhino poaching haunts the future of the black rhino in Namibia and this depends largely on our nation’s ability to protect this important rhino population.

Saturday, 24 April 2021
Watson A 2021. South Africa - suspected poacher killed by elephants and three caught.

This week, an elephant trampled a suspected poacher to death in the Kruger Park after he ran in to a breeding herd trying to escape rangers. Another three suspected poachers have been arrested in the Kruger National Park (KNP), this time in the Crocodile Bridge section at the south end of the almost 20,000km² reserve.

Friday, 23 April 2021
Amakali M 2021. Babi fate in PG's hands.

Windhoek Magistrate's Court has given a final remand for the prosecutor general Martha Imalwa to pronounce herself in the case of self-proclaimed prophet Jackson Babi. According to State prosecutor Rowan van Wyk, the PG's decision is not available; thus, magistrate Linus Samunzala postponed the case finally to 9 June.

Thursday, 22 April 2021
Muonwa J 2021. Court acquits villagers busted with US$1 400 Ivory.

A Karoi magistrate has cleared two Karoi villagers for charges of unlawful possession of raw ivory valued at US$1 467,10. Whynos Dzotso (23) and Knowledge Nyamukondiwa (25) who both reside under Chief Kazangarare, Karoi were this Tuesday acquitted by Magistrate Felix Chauromwe who made the ruling following the defence's application for discharge at the close of the state case.

Thursday, 22 April 2021
2021. SANParks records another successful anti-poaching operation in the KNP.

South African National Parks (SANParks) has announced another operation that led to the arrest of three suspected poachers on Wednesday 21 April in the Crocodile Bridge Section of the Kruger National Park (KNP). A high calibre hunting rifle, ammunition and poaching equipment were seized during the successful operation.

Thursday, 22 April 2021
Muyamba J 2021. Two granted bail for possession of python skin.

The Rundu Magistrate's Court granted bail to two Namibian men arrested for possession of a spotted genet skin, four python skins and two mineral stones. The value of the confiscated items is yet to be determined. Jesaya Johannes Kasera (29) and Mathews Nkomba Kaveto (36) appeared before Rundu magistrate Hellen Olaiya on a charge of contravening the nature conservation ordinance, in particular possession of raw skin of protected game.

Thursday, 22 April 2021
Smit E 2021. Eight arrested for wildlife crimes.

On 12 April, Haita Paulus Tjambiru was arrested at Orupembe in connection with an old case dating back to October 2015 in which a rhino was illegally hunted. He was charged with contravening the Nature Conservation Ordinance. In another incident at Ondangwa on 13 April, Phillipus Alfeus was arrested for being in possession of two python skins.

Tuesday, 20 April 2021
2021. Twee Angolese vas oor kameelperdjag.

By Okahao is beslag gelê op een kameelperdkarkas, een .303-geweer, twee haelgewere en 18 patrone nadat twee Angolese, mnre. John Mantilamena en Victory Andreas, en ’n Namibiër mnr. Abed Joseph verlede Dinsdag in hegtenis geneem is

At Okahao, one giraffe carcass, one .303 rifle, two shotguns and 18 cartridges were seized after two Angolan men. John Mantilamena and Victory Andreas, and a Namibian mr. Abed Joseph was arrested last Tuesday.

Monday, 19 April 2021
2021. Dete man found with 7 ivory pieces.

A Dete man has been arrested after being found with seven elephant tusks. ZimParks rangers ambushed Delight Moyo of Dopota village after getting a tip-off by a ranger Phinos Mudenda that some people were in possession of ivory.

Monday, 19 April 2021
Masweneng K 2021. Five poaching suspects arrested in Kruger National Park.

An anti-poaching operation in the Kruger National Park at the weekend netted five suspected poachers. It was described as a "fruitful" weekend in the Pretoriuskop section of the park, where the suspects were found in possession of ammunition, a silencer and two high-calibre hunting rifles. "We are delighted with our anti-poaching teams who were able to arrest suspects before any animal was killed. The actions are a morale booster for our anti-poaching teams and conservation efforts," said Gareth Coleman, managing executive of the park.

Monday, 19 April 2021
2021. Kenya - Kwale man arrested with 12 tusks.

A Kwale County government officer has been arrested by police officers after being found in illegal possession of 12 pieces of elephant tusks weighing 35 Kg in Matuga sub-county. The 53-year-old county employee, Josphat Mtoi Kuri, works as a clerical officer in Kinango Sub County was arrested inside a local guest house by a team of security officers drawn from the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and Criminal Investigation Department Officers who have been trailing him for some days.

Saturday, 17 April 2021
Musaasizi B 2021. Uganda: Italian diplomat arrested for being in possession of 5Kgs of ivory.

A Retired Italian Diplomat, Diego Marino Enrico has been arrested and is presently under detention at the Jinja Road Police Station after his house was searched and over 5 Kilograms of Ivory discovered. 

Friday, 16 April 2021
2021. Nashornkadaver beschlagnahmt.

Fünf Verdächtige wurden vergangene Woche in Verbindung mit Wildtierverbrechen in drei separaten Fällen verhaftet. Drei der Verdächtigen wurden im Zusammenhang mit Nashorn-Wilderei oder Nasenhorn - Handel verhaftet.

Five suspects were arrested in three separate cases last week in connection with wildlife crimes. Three of the suspects were arrested in connection with rhino poaching or rhino horn trafficking.

Thursday, 15 April 2021
David R 2021. Wildlife crime decreases in 2020Wildlife crime decreases in 2020.

According to the Combatting Wildlife Crime in Namibia Annual Report for 2020, rhino crimes accounted for most arrests during the past year, with 145 suspects having been detained. "A significant number of these were pre-emptive arrests, where suspects were caught before they could kill a rhino. This is not only a highly commendable law enforcement success, but also a very positive conservation outcome. Pre-emptive arrests have directly saved numerous rhinos and will allow the population to continue to multiply," the report stated.

Wednesday, 14 April 2021
2021. Namibia: Angolans arrested for illegal killing of a giraffe.

Two Angolan citizens, aged 22 and 39, were arrested, together with a 69-year-old Namibian, in the Namibian region of Omusati for the illegal killing of a giraffe.

Wednesday, 14 April 2021
Leuschner E 2021. Coronakrise bremst Nashorn-Wilderei.

Fälle der Wilderei sind im vergangenen Jahr zurückgegangen - Schuppentiere "am meisten" gehandelt. Mehr als 300 Personen wurden im vergangenen Jahr wegen Wildtierverbrechen an hochwertigen Arten festgenommen. Die geringste Anzahl gemeldete Fälle wird im Zusammenhang mit der Nashorn-Wilderei, die höchste Anzahl wiederum im Zusammenhang mit dem Handel von Schuppentieren verzeichnet.

Wednesday, 14 April 2021
Steynberg F 2021. Vierde 'renosterstroper' van Gobabis vas.

Die vierde vermeende renosterstroper in die Gobabis-saak, mnr. Hamukoto Kanana Erastus, is ook verlede week in hegtenis geneem. Dit volg nadat die karkas van 'n ver dragtige witrenosterkoei op Vrydag 2 April op 'n lodge in die Gobabis-distrik gevind is. Met behulp van boere, spoorsnyers en die K9-teenstropingseenheid is drie verdagtes, mnre. Zondundi Tjipuiko, Frederik Hamukoto en Tjimbaka Mbatiminua, Sondag 4 April by 'n padblokkade buite Gobabis in hegtenis geneem. In hul besit was glo 'n jaggeweer en 22 patrone.

Wednesday, 14 April 2021
Smit E 2021. Namibians arrested for 90% of wildlife crimes.

Although wildlife crime is ultimately driven by demand in consumer countries, Namibians continue to make up over 90% of arrested wildlife crime suspects in country. This according to the environment ministry and police’s Annual Wildlife Crime Report for 2020. A massive 91% of the 304 suspects arrested for wildlife crimes of high value species in last year were Namibians. Suspects from neighbouring countries made up the rest of the arrests and included Angolans (5%), Zimbabweans (4%) and Batswana (0.4%).

Wednesday, 14 April 2021
2021. Fälle der Wilderei 2020 deutlich gesunken.

In Namibia sind die Anzahl Fälle der Wilderei im Jahr 2020 im Gegensatz zum Vorjahr deutlich zurückgegangen - besonders die Anzahl Fälle mit hochwertigen Arten, seien es Nashörner, Elefanten oder Schuppentiere. Das teilte das Umweltministerium jetzt mit. Demnach wurden 2020 lediglich 25 Fälle im Zusammenhang mit der Nashorn-Wilderei gemeldet. Die Aufnahme zeigt einen vom Umweltministerium aufbewahrten Schädelhaufen von Nashörnern.

Wednesday, 14 April 2021
Ndeyanale E 2021. Suspects caught poaching giraffe.

A 69-year-old man and two Angolans were arrested on Tuesday for poaching a giraffe in a conservancy in Omusati region.

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