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"Controlled trade in rhino horn should be permitted". The Wildlife Vets Namibia team recently dehorned rhinos from the Rhino Momma project. According to Wildlife Vets, the CITES ban on the trade in rhino horn has caused a rhino to be worth more dead than alive.

Snaring in the Kruger National Park has spiked dramatically and poachers are profiting from the growing demand of bush meat. The laying of snares to trap wild animals whose meat is used not only to eat, but also by sangomas as muthi, has become a huge concern. Rangers and honorary rangers have their hands full in finding and removing these snares. Skukuza section ranger, Kally Ubisi, told of a recent incident in which a pregnant giraffe was found with a snare around her neck. While this animal was saved, most others are not so fortunate. A new problem has now reared its ugly head…

Just a few days after World Pangolin Day, the Pangolin Conservation & Research Foundation (PCRF) has once again drawn attention to the devastating situation of pangolins in Namibia in an urgent appeal. On Pangolin Day itself, February 15, a Namibian pangolin fell victim to an electric fence - "just one of countless silent deaths that go unnoticed. This pangolin survived the illegal wildlife trade, only to be killed by another human-made threat," said PCRF Director Kelsey Prediger. Since 2018, 570 pangolins have been killed by poaching in Namibia alone (AZ reported).

A 36-YEAR-OLD man was arrested at Oromauua village near Etosha National Park on Friday for conspiracy to commit a crime and hunting specially protected game without a permit. According to the police, the arrest came after the suspect, who was driving a white Toyota Hilux GD6 Double Cab with three passengers, failed to stop at a mobile roadblock set up by Anti-Poaching members at Oromauua village. The police later intercepted the vehicle at Werda Police Station and discovered that there was only one occupant (the driver) in the vehicle.

Harare - Two Chinese nationals, Lin Wang and Fuxi Wang, have been arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle rhino horns worth a combined US$480,000 out of Zimbabwe through Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare. The illicit wildlife contraband was concealed inside sculptures, including a plastic owl, and intercepted by authorities following a series of investigations and surveillance operations.

A total of 77 suspects arrested, but no word is said about how many have already been tried, and what the sentences are. This leaves no doubt that cases are still in the investigation stages, and it leaves no doubt that cases will drag on for days to come. Bringing a case to court and having it successfully tried is supposed to be the pride of any detective/investigator. It breaks my heart to see no positive reporting, with the amount of settled/conviction cases' feedback.

Namibia has experienced one of the worst years of rhino poaching in over ten years, with 81 rhinos illegally killed in 2024. Authorities arrested 77 suspects for rhinorelated crimes, 73 of whom were Namibian nationals. According to the document, which was presented at the meeting of the Standing Committee of the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Geneva, Switzerland, the country's poaching crisis peaked in 2015 with 97 rhinos killed, followed by 84 cases in 2018 and 94 rhinos poached in 2022.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism is developing a National Species Management Plan to bolster pangolin conservation efforts and combat illegal trafficking. The plan, being created in collaboration with the Namibian Pangolin Working Group, is expected to be released in 2025. The Ministry announced the initiative over the weekend, underscoring its commitment to protecting the species from poaching and habitat loss. Since 2018, at least 570 pangolins have been poached in documented cases, ministerial spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said in a statement.

A Total of 570 pangolins have been poached in Namibia since 2018. This was revealed by Ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda, who said that the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism remains dedicated to protecting the nation's pangolins. According to Muyunda, there is an urgent need to combat threats such as habitat loss and illegal trafficking.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism says 570 pangolins have been poached in Namibia since 2018. In a media statement to celebrate World Pangolin Day on Saturday, ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said the ministry has reaffirmed its dedication to protecting the nation's pangolins, highlighting their ecological importance and the urgent need to combat threats such as habitat loss and illegal trafficking.

Three men have been arrested for illegal logging in the West Bugwe Central Forest Reserve, Busia district. The National Forestry Authority (NFA) apprehended Kennedy Yolya, Henry Mudambo, and Robert Mudambo, aged between 35 and 50, for cutting down immature hardwood trees in a protected area. According to Michael Kusoro, NFA's Kyoga Range Manager, the trio was caught in the act of felling 17 mature indigenous trees, including species such as Albizia, Combretum, and Vitex doniana.

In the largest ever wildlife and forestry operation, 138 countries and regions joined forces to apprehend wildlife smugglers. INTERPOL has led an operation seizing 20,000 protected or endangered animals in a global wildlife trafficking sting. Criminal networks were smuggling the live animals across borders to sell for uses such as specialty food and traditional medicine. Led by INTERPOL and the World Customs Organization (WCO), the multinational campaign known as Operation Thunder 2024 involved enforcement agencies from 138 countries and regions and led to the arrest of 365…

A large part of his work involves removing snares from wildlife, and "sadly, incidents of snaring have been increasing across Kruger in recent years, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic", he wrote in South African National Parks (SANParks) 2023/2024 research report. The use of tracking collars - which send alerts either when animals enter identified snaring hotspot areas or have been stationary for a certain period - has recently become an important tool in managing endangered species such as wild dogs.

Another two rhinos were killed and their horns cut off and thus despite the efforts of Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife’s attempts to dehorn rhinos in KZN as quickly as possible to try and curb the bloodlust killings of rhinos for their horns. The two rhinos were killed in the Pongola area, the exact location of the poaching is known the Vryheid Herald but due to safety reasons will not be disclosed. On January 28 there were reports of shots that were fired in a game reserve. Police together with several other security entities swept the area and found two rhino carcasses without their…

The battle between mining and conservation tourism rages on in the dry rocky plains of the Sorris Sorris Conservation Area, the High Court in Windhoek and in the boardroom of the Namibian Competition Commission (NaCC). At stake are promising tin deposits that could mean big bucks from increasing global demand, as opposed to preserving the natural beauty of the area where the endangered black rhinos roam. Community-driven tourism and their private-sector partners strive to keep their symbiotic relationship with the rhinos alive. "Get rid of us and the rhinos are gone with the…

Environment minister Pohamba Shifeta has confirmed that a large tree that was felled last year in Helao Nafidi in the Ohangwena Region was used by criminals to conduct illegal activities. However, he emphasised that harming natural resources should always be a last resort. He urged law enforcement agencies to explore alternative methods of managing crime, rather than resorting to environmental damage. "At this stage the ministry is still investigating if this was part of the preventative measure or if it was simply an oversight on the part of the town council.

A South African court in January sentenced four poachers to several years in prison for two separate crimes committed in Kruger National Park (KNP). The Skukuza Regional Court, which in the past has boasted a near-100% conviction rate and under whose jurisdiction KNP falls, held two South African citizens, Sam Khosa and Solly Selahle, and a Mozambican named Oddis Maluleke, guilty of poaching a rhino and taking its horns in February 2019.

Ten endangered flamingos have been saved after smugglers were caught trying to traffic them out of Tunisia, according to the country's customs body. Photos of the birds crammed into crates with their wings, legs and torsos bound up were posted by the force online. The flamingos were rescued close to the Algerian border on Sunday, having been "loaded onto a lorry bearing a Tunisian registration plate", officials said in a statement. The birds have now been safely returned to their natural habitat, officials added, "as part of efforts to preserve the species".

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism has taken a significant step in combating wildlife crime by establishing specialized Environmental Crimes Courts (ECCs) in strategic locations across the country. Ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said that they successfully held special courts in Oshakati, Rundu, and Katima Mulilo, each tasked with addressing the growing threat to Namibia’s precious wildlife.

The establishment of a first-of-its-kind specialised Environmental Crimes Court in Otjiwarongo has made notable progress in adjudicating wildlife-related crime cases since it began operations at the start of the year. Romeo Muyunda, spokesperson for the environment ministry, said the development of the court required careful planning among key government stakeholders, including the Office of the Prosecutor General, the justice ministry and the judiciary.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) has expressed satisfaction with the progress made in establishing the District Court for Environmental Crimes in Otjiwarongo. According to a press release from MEFT press officer, Romeo Muyunda, this initiative is part of the national wildlife conservation strategy agreed by stakeholders to support the fight against wildlife crime. "The court focuses on environmental crime cases and will expedite the processing of wildlife cases, which we believe will help prevent wildlife crime," it says.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism (MEFT) has expressed satisfaction with the establishment and the progress made in adjudicating cases thanks to its first-of-its-kind specialized Environmental Crimes Court (ECC) in Otjiwarongo, Ministerial spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda in a statement highlighted the collaborative effort between the Office of the Prosecutor General, the Ministry of Justice, and the Judiciary in establishing the ECC.

Scientists are testing a novel technique to deter poachers targeting endangered rhinoceros for their prized horns. As part of a pilot study in South Africa, researchers have injected small, radioactive pellets into the horns of live rhinos. The goal is to make the horns radioactive so there is less demand for them on the black market. About 20 rhinoceroses have been selected for the pilot study dubbed the Rhisotope Project. Among the tests is examining the rhinos' blood to ensure the animals are not being harmed.

As a source country, transit point, and final destination for animal products, Vietnam is a central actor in the global fight against wildlife trafficking. But for years, the CITES Secretariat has reprimanded Vietnam for not doing enough to combat and dismantle criminal wildlife trade networks that poach and trade wildlife, a major threat to biodiversity and endangered species.

Lyon, France - Nearly 20,000 live animals, all endangered or protected species, have been seized in a global operation against wildlife and forestry trafficking networks, jointly coordinated by INTERPOL and the World Customs Organization (WCO). Operation Thunder 2024 (11 November - 6 December) brought together police, customs, border control, forestry and wildlife officials from 138 countries and regions, marking the widest participation since the first edition in 2017.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.