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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 64
Saturday, 30 July 2022
Chikoti M 2022. Man nabbed for possessing ivory.

Police in Mangochi have arrested a 50-year old man for possession of nine pieces of ivory.

Thursday, 28 July 2022
2022. Snare kills mother zebra and foal at Bisley Nature Reserve.

A zebra and its foal have been found dead, caught in the grip of a snare in the Bisley Nature Reserve.

Thursday, 28 July 2022
Muchiri C 2022. Zim anti-poaching unit receives award.

"This award to the ranger team has come despite operating in the face of adversity, with the results of a positive growth population of rhino." "Under the protection of ATS, the rhino population in Save Valley Conservancy has seen a biological growth rate of 7%, this is above the 5% IUCN recommendation for game reserves protecting rhino, and maintained a poaching mortality rate of below 2%, also IUCN recommended," the WCPA statement read.

Tuesday, 26 July 2022
Hattingh E 2022. Honderde duisende se vee, wild gestroop.

Boere het gister by die landdroshof op Karibib saamgekom om te probeer verhoed dat borgtog aan vermeende vee- en wildstropers toegestaan word. Dit volg nadat daar in die week tussen volmaan en 21 Julie beeste ter waarde van N$135 000, gemsbokke van N$60 000 en sebras van N$9 000 in die omgewing van Otjiwarongo, Karibib en Omaruru gesteel is. 

Tuesday, 26 July 2022
Reiter C 2022. Wilderei nimmt kein Ende.

Am gestrigen Montag versammelten sich Farmer vor dem Magistratsgericht von Karibib, um zu verhindern, dass mutmaßliche Wilderer auf Kaution freigelassen werden. Dies geschah, nachdem in der Woche zwischen Vollmond und dem 21. Juli in der Gegend von Otjiwarongo, Karibib und Omaruru Rinder im Wert von 135 000 N$, Gemsböcke im Wert von 60 000 N$ und Zebras im Wert von 9 000 N$ gestohlen worden waren. Darüber hinaus mussten die Farmer rund 22 000 N$ für Treibstoff, Wachen und Anti-Wilderer-Einheiten bezahlen.

Friday, 22 July 2022
Twahirwa A 2022. East African countries seek cross-border cooperation to combat wildlife trafficking.

Kigali: For many years, East African countries were considered wildlife trafficking hotspots. Now conservation organisations have started to mobilise all stakeholders to combat the illegal trade that targets animals – some to the edge of extinction.

Friday, 22 July 2022
2022. Nigeria: Three foreigners Aarraigned over pangolin, tusk smuggling.

The Nigeria Customs Services (NCS) yesterday brought seven men before the Federal High Court in Lagos for alleged illegal possession dealing, assembling, storing, smuggling and trading in pangolin skin and elephant's ivory.

Thursday, 21 July 2022
2022. Zimbabwean, foreigner nabbed over elephant tusks.

Two men have been arrested in Bulawayo after they were found in possession of 20,5 kilogrammes of elephant tusks.

Wednesday, 20 July 2022
2022. Environment Ministry continues to combat illegal harvesting of protected plants and trees.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism (MEFT) recently announced the confiscation of 75 wood planks that are believed to have been illegally harvested in the Kavango region area after a tip-off from the public, an official said this week. All harvesting of trees and wood, anywhere in Namibia, is governed by the Forest Act and its Regulations. "The planks are believed to have been illegally harvested from farms that are in Ncamagoro in the Kavango West Region," MEFT spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda said in a statement.

Wednesday, 20 July 2022
Smit E 2022. Two arrested for possession of protected plants.

A Namibian and a Chinese national were arrested in Okahandja on Saturday after they were found in possession of 27 protected plant species. The confiscated items included four Elephant's foot plants, 15 Cyphostemma, eight Commiphora, in addition to five plastic bags containing Welwitchia seeds and 12 bags filled with a variety of unidentified seeds. The suspects were arrested after ministry officials followed up on video footage they had obtained, showing two persons collecting the protected plants, reportedly around Usakos.

Wednesday, 20 July 2022
Naidoo D 2022. LOOK: Smugglers jailed for trading nearly one tonne of pangolin scales.

Last week, the People's Court of Hanoi, Vietnam, sentenced three women and one man to a collective 18 years imprisonment for the illegal transportation and trade of 984kg of pangolin scales, one of the largest cases of wildlife trading investigated in Vietnam's history.

Wednesday, 20 July 2022
2022. Two dealers get five years sentence for illegal possession of Government trophy.

Facts before court were that on 1 April 2022 the duo whilst acting together possessed a prescribed trophy namely elephant ivory weighing 25 KG and valued at K 90,467 without a certificate of ownership issued by the Director General the Zambia Wildlife Authority.

Monday, 18 July 2022
Reiter C 2022. Im Besitz von drei Elefantenstosszähnen - Verdächtiger verhaftet.

In einer weiteren gemeinsamen Operation von Beamten des Umweltministeriums, Spezialkräften und der Abteilung für geschützte Ressourcen der namibischen Polizei, wurde ein Verdächtiger in der Sambesi-Region festgenommen, nachdem er im Besitz von drei Elefantenstoßzähnen angetroffen wurde. Er bot die Stoßzähne einem verdeckten Ermittler zum Verkauf an. Der 33 Jahre alte Verdächtige wurde am 14. Juli in Katima Mulilo verhaftet. Die drei Elefantenstoßzähne waren laut des Berichts des Umweltministeriums in 13 Stücke geschnitten.

Monday, 18 July 2022
Pillay Y 2022. Three suspects arrested for poaching at Tala Game Reserve.

Three suspects were arrested for poaching at Tala Game Reserve, outside Pietermaritzburg, after police and a private security company responded to the scene. The three suspects were found with a waterbuck carcass on Saturday.

Monday, 18 July 2022
David M 2022. Two arrested for protected plant species.

Two men were on Saturday arrested after being found in possession of protected plant species at Okahandja.
The duo, a Namibian and Chinese national were found with four Adenia pechuelii (elephant foot) plants; 15xCyphostema plants; eight Commphoras plants; five plastics containing Welwitschia seeds and 12x plastics with differentunidentified seeds. Ministry of Environment spokesperson Romeo Muyunda stated that this came after Ministry officials followed up on avideo in which the two suspects were seen collecting protected plants reportedly in the area of Usakos.

Saturday, 16 July 2022
Wagiet R 2022. Plant poachers arrested for illegally harvesting indigenous plants in Cape Town.

Field rangers at the Tygerberg Nature Reserve managed to apprehend poachers who were illegally removing bulbs and indigenous plants from one of the hiking trails. On Tuesday, 12 July 2022, the Tygerberg Nature Reserve staff were alerted by a visitor to three individuals who seemed to be removing plants from one of the hiking trails.

Sunday, 10 July 2022
2022. A Meerkat that prevents poaching in the Kruger Park.

South Africa, with its abundant wildlife, suffers from a scourge of poaching that has become a significant challenge in the country's national parks. In particular, the poaching of rhinos for their horns has increased dramatically since 2014, so SA National Parks (SANParks) sought out a system that could enable it to successfully counter this: one that could detect movement - specifically of people - in protected areas.

Sunday, 10 July 2022
2022. Rhino poacher nabbed near Gravelotte.

The man, who was arrested on Friday (July 8), will face charges of rhino poaching, the possession of rhino horns and the illegal possession of a firearm. Police spokesperson Motlafela Mojapelo explained in a statement that the man is one of three men suspected of rhino poaching near Gravelotte.

Saturday, 9 July 2022
2022. Eleven suspected Etosha poachers behind bars.

The environment ministry today released a statement confirming the arrest of 11 suspected poachers during the course of four law enforcement operations undertaken close to the world renowned Etosha National Park since June. Environment ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda today said the arrests, and confiscation of vehicles, cash and weapons, were the result of joint law and intelligence operations, following the discovery of 11 rhino carcasses at Etosha in June. The rhinos were all killed during poaching incidents.

Saturday, 9 July 2022
Pieterse C 2022. Four Kruger rhinos killed, three dehorned.

Three men who had allegedly poached the four rhinos and were able to dehorn three of them, appeared in the Bushbuckridge Magistrate's Court on Monday July 4.

Friday, 8 July 2022
2022. Uganda's special court clamps down on wildlife crime.

A special court established in Uganda, called the Standards, Utilities and Wildlife Court, was "critical to the country's economic development", then Chief Justice Bart Katureebe noted at its launch in 2017. "Access to justice in this area has the capacity to promote investment in critical areas of the economy, protection of the environment, public health and ethical trade practices," he said. Between July 2020 and June 2021, the court handled 468 wildlife crime cases.

Wednesday, 6 July 2022
Nakale A 2022. Poaching rife around farm Uitkoms.

Uitkoms - As the population of Farm Uitkoms grows, crimes and social ills such as poaching, stock theft and drug and alcohol abuse are skyrocketing. Farm Uitkoms, housing mainly marginalised Namibians some 160km north-east of Okahandja, is seen as the epitome of self-sustainability in terms of government resettlement efforts. In 2008, retired veteran politician Dr Libertina Amathila, who at the time held the portfolio of Deputy Prime Minister, vigorously spearheaded a campaign that saw the marginalised San community resettled at this farm.

Sunday, 3 July 2022
2022. Three alleged poachers arrested in the Kruger National Park.

Three alleged poachers were arrested in the Kruger National Park after allegedly killing four rhinos on Friday July 1.

Sunday, 3 July 2022
2022. Tourist helps nab alleged rhino poachers in the Kruger National Park.

A tourist who heard gunshots in the Kruger National Park helped rangers arrest three suspected poachers after they allegedly killed and dehorned rhinos.

Sunday, 3 July 2022
2022. Tanzania warns poachers to stop malpractice.

Tanzanian wildlife authorities on Saturday warned poachers to stop the malpractice before they faced the full force of the law.

Friday, 1 July 2022
Mushaukwa A 2022. Minister warns conservancy members against poaching.

The Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Pohamba Shifeta, has called on members of conservancies to refrain from poaching and misuse of funds. Furthermore, he stated the ministry has unearthed a possible syndicate of poaching, involving conservancy members.

Wednesday, 30 June 2021
Mkanyika L 2021. Kenya: Age question delays sentencing of dikdik poachers.

Three people accused of poaching 187 dikdiks will spend another week in remand in Voi, Taita Taveta County, after the court pushed their sentencing to July 5. Voi Principal Magistrate Cecilia Kithinji ordered that the suspects be detained for one more week. The accused - Kaviha Charo, Katana Unda and Bugo Suluhu - pleaded guilty to three charges related to poaching wildlife on June 21. They were arrested with the animals in Akales, Galana Ranch, in Tsavo East, Kilifi County.

Wednesday, 30 June 2021
Leuschner E 2021. Renoster in Etosha gestroop.

’n Renoster is tussen Saterdagnag en Sondag by die Chudop-watergat naby Namutoni in die Etosha Nasionale Park gestroop. Volgens die woordvoerder van die ministerie van die omgewing, bosbou en toerisme, mnr. Romeo Muyunda, is beide die renoster se horings verwyder. "Dit is die eerste renoster wat vanjaar in die park gestroop is. Die renoster is geskiet en die karkas is Sondag ontdek," het hy gesê. Die Chudop-watergat is sowat vyf kilometer suidwes van Namutoni geleë.

Tuesday, 29 June 2021
2021. Spitzmaulnashorn beim Chudop-Wasserloch in Etoscha gewildert.

Ein erwachsenes Spitzmaulnashorn wurde in der Nacht von Samstag auf Sonntag beim Chudop-Wasserloch nahe dem Rastlager Namutoni im Etoscha-Nationalpark gewildert - beide Hörner wurden abgetrennt. Das teilte Romeo Muyunda, Pressesprecher im Ministerium für Umwelt, Forstwirtschaft und Tourismus, gestern auf Nachfrage der AZ mit.

Tuesday, 29 June 2021
2021. Zim man, lover arrested in Botswana for illegal ivory possession.

A Zimbabwean man, charged together with his girlfriend for unlawful possession of elephant tusks, has saved his co-accused from further legal woes after telling the court she knew nothing of the ivory.

Friday, 25 June 2021
Katamzi Z 2021. Two rhino poachers sentenced to 19 years in prison.

Two rhino poachers were sentenced to 19 years imprisonment on Thursday, 24 June, after they were caught with two rhino horns, ammunition, and an axe just outside Kruger National Park around Komatipoort in 2019.

Friday, 25 June 2021
Comins L 2021. Rhino poaching latest: Police recover R2,4 million rhino horn.

Members of the Hawks Organised Investigation Unit searched a vehicle and found rhino horns that suspects were attempting to sell. "The pair were arrested during a buy and bust operation where they allegedly attempted to sell the horns. The suspects' vehicle was searched and two rhino horns worth approximately R2.4 million were found," Rikhotso said.

Thursday, 24 June 2021
Shinana A 2021. Two nabbed for possessing pangolin scales.

According to police crime coordinator deputy commissioner Moses Simaho, the suspects were arrested after they tried to sell the scales to undercover officers at Epalela on Tuesday at 09:30. The pangolin products as well as cannabis were allegedly smuggled into the country from Angola without a permit from competent authorities in that country. "The two suspects have been arrested for possession of and dealing with controlled wildlife and dealing in prohibited dependence-producing drugs. We seized a bag containing cannabis whose value has not yet been determined and 2,22 pangolin…

Wednesday, 23 June 2021
Francke R-L 2021. Suspect arrested in Edgemead with over R1.7m worth of abalone to appear in court.

Cape Town - A 45-year-old man is expected to appear in the Goodwood magistrate's court on Wednesday after he was found in possession of abalone worth over R1.7 million in Cape Town’s northern suburb of Edgemead.

Wednesday, 23 June 2021
Ngcobo N 2021. Concern over rise in poaching at PMB nature reserve.

"In the last couple of weeks, we found in certain areas a marked increase in the number of snares and a zebra was just left to rot where it had died, caught up in the snare." "We need to ask people to walk regularly and look for the snares. Quite often, they will set the snares and then they don't return in time to see if the animal has been caught in the snare and the animal is just left to rot." The Msunduzi Municipality has also raised concern about the rise in poaching at the reserve in recent weeks.

Tuesday, 22 June 2021
Mmana FB 2021. Council chairman charged with poaching.

North West District council chairperson, Kebareeditse Ntsogotho is set to appear before Maun magistrate court next week Friday to face poaching charges. "It is true, they are taking me to court," Ntsogotho confirmed briefly in a matter regarding his encounter with a buffalo on the outskirts of his home village, Khwai in May 2020 that left him badly injured and permanently scarred. Although the chairman had insisted that he was attacked while trying to help some of his community members escape the marauding animal, the police treated the case as a poaching incident.

Tuesday, 22 June 2021
Mkanyika L 2021. Kenya: Three suspected poachers plead guilty over dik dik game meat seizure.

Three suspected poachers arrested with 187 dik-diks in Tsavo East were on Monday charged at the Voi Law Court.

Friday, 18 June 2021
2021. Rhino poaching: 25 incidents, 3 arrests, 1 sentence, 1 kingpin killed in 1 week.

With lockdown restrictions eased since last year, the rhino poaching war has certainly heated up in South Africa. The last seven days have been hectic - a suspected rhino poaching kingpin gunned down just before appearing in court, three suspected poachers arrested in separate incidents (with tourists helping report them), and at least 21 poaching related incidents taking place in the Kruger National Park (KNP) - as well as one successful conviction.

Friday, 18 June 2021
Tshikalange S 2021. Kruger National Park rhino poacher gets 23-year sentence.

SA National Parks (SANParks) on Friday welcomed the 23-year prison sentence handed to a rhino poacher by the Skukuza regional court prosecuting team. Alsony Alberto Valoyi, an illegal immigrant from Mozambique, pleaded guilty to six charges related to rhino poaching after being arrested inside the Kruger National Park (KNP) in November 2016.

Thursday, 17 June 2021
Taylor L 2021. Tanzania's "Ivory Queen" denied release after appeal.

One of the world's most infamous ivory traffickers will remain in prison in Tanzania after an appeal judge sent her case back to a lower court. The high court accepted there were anomalies in the original written judgment against Yang Fenglan, but declined her attorney's application for her release. Between 2009 and 2014, poachers reduced Tanzania’s elephant population by 60%, according to a government census. In response, Tanzania developed a strategy of intelligence-led investigations.

Thursday, 17 June 2021
Taylor L 2021. Poaching declines in Tanzania following prosecution of ivory trafficking ringleaders.

Once known as the world's elephant killing fields, Tanzania appears to have halted the worst ivory poaching within its borders, making more than 2,300 arrests of poachers and traffickers over five years.

Wednesday, 16 June 2021
David M 2021. Pangolin skin gets man arrested.

The Namibian Police Force in the Oshana Region have arrested a 41-year-old man after he was found in possession of protected wildlife products at Oshakati. According to an arrest report provided by the Public Relation Division of the Namibian Police, a case of possession of controlled wildlife products was registered on Friday evening. "The suspect was arrested at Okatana Service Station in Oshakati, after he was found in possession of a pangolin skin," said police.

Tuesday, 15 June 2021
Amakali M 2021. 'Prophet' sees another day in custody.

An attempt by the defence of self-proclaimed prophet and founder of the House of Joy Ministries Jackson Babi to have his case provisionally withdrawn, fell flat when the court denied the request. Babi's lawyer Mbanga Siyomunji requested that his client's case be provisionally withdrawn and consequently have Babi released from custody while the State waits for the prosecutor general to pronounce herself in the matter. "The State has failed to inform the court that they failed twice to provide the decision. Now, two months later, the decision is still not available," said Siyomunji…

Saturday, 12 June 2021
Majola D 2021. South Africa: NW man handed an 8-year sentence for possession of elephant ivory.

Johannesburg - A man in the North West has on Thursday been sentenced to eight years for keeping elephant ivory worth over R1 million in his house. Moabi Moribe has been on the run since 2018.

Friday, 11 June 2021
Walter J 2021. Kenya: 'Stop killing the elephants!' Worry as rampant poaching threatens wildlife.

The killing of two elephants in Kalacha this week has once again shone the spotlight on rampant poaching in Marsabit County, which is threatening to wipe out wildlife in the region. Authorities recovered two rifles and four rounds of ammunition in a security operation following the incident. County Police Commander Martin Kibet said a bullet obtained from one of the carcasses would be subjected to ballistic testing. The two elephants were killed when they strayed from Marsabit Forest via Hurri Hills into Kalacha. A third elephant was rescued by Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS)…

Friday, 11 June 2021
Moser K 2021. Mit Radioaktivität gegen Wilderer.

Nashornwilderei ist in Afrika wieder zu einem großen Problem geworden. Angesichts steigender Fallzahlen und wachsender Sorgen haben Wissenschaftler in einem Pilotprojekt nun einen neuen Ansatz gewählt: Ein mit Radioaktivität versehenes Horn ist ein zu großes Risiko für Wilderer.

Rhino poaching has become a major problem again in Africa. In view of the increasing number of cases and growing concerns, scientists have now chosen a new approach in a pilot project: a horn provided with radioactivity is too great a risk for poachers.

Thursday, 10 June 2021
2021. Mozambique: Police arrest two men with 11 elephant tusks.

The Mozambican police in Maputo arrested two men in possession of 11 elephant tusks suspected to be intended for illegal ivory trafficking, the police announced on Tuesday. The two Mozambicans were arrested at their home, where they were keeping the tusks. The  National Criminal Investigation Service (Sernic) action was triggered after a complaint from the public.

Wednesday, 9 June 2021
2021. Significant arrests of wildlife crime perpetrators continues.

The latest wildlife crime statistics indicate that four rhinos and one elephant have been poached to date, as law enforcement operations continue to bag perpetrators, an official said this week. From the beginning of June, law enforcement agencies have made significant arrests of wildlife criminals involving products of high valued species across the country, the Ministry of Environment spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda said in an update.

Tuesday, 8 June 2021
Amunga V 2021. Kenya looks to maintain zero rhino poaching record.

Kenya's Wildlife Service says that for the first time in 21 years, not a single rhinoceros was poached in the country's national parks in 2020. To maintain the progress, it is conducting the first ever wildlife census and placing mobile container housing in parks for rangers.

Tuesday, 8 June 2021
2021. Guruve duo nabbed for ivory possession.

Two Mbire men have appeared at the Guruve Magistrates Court after being arrested in possession of 34kg of ivory and looking for a buyer.

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