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Durban - A Good Samaritan came to the rescue of a poached duiker when he confiscated the animal from its poacher. The Centre for Rehabilitation of Wildlife (Crow) reported that on Sunday it received a call from a concerned member of the public from Hammarsdale, who informed them that he had confiscated a male grey duiker as it was a victim of poaching.

Durban - A Randfontein homeowner who was charged with illegally keeping three lions on his property could face jail time or a fine of up to R10 million. The NSPCA said they been contacted by the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD) regarding the illegal possession and captivity of three lions at a property in Randfontein. Keshvi Nair, NSPCA public relations officer, said they and Randwest SPCA carried out an inspection at the property on March 22. A joint operation between the NSPCA, Randwest SPCA, Isindile Big Cat and Predator…

Oshana police commissioner Naftal Sakaria says armed poachers found in the Etosha National Park should surrender to the police or they will be shot. Police inspector general Joseph Shikongo last week appointed Sakaria as the commander of the anti-poaching unit in Etosha National Park for a period of six months. While in this position, he will also remain the Oshana regional commander. Sakaria is tasked with commanding the police and military forces deployed in the flagship park to protect animals, especially iconic animals such elephants and rhinos, from being poached.

Commissioner Naftal Lungameni Sakaria, the Oshana Regional Police Commander, was recently named the Gold Commander for the Etosha National Park Anti-poaching Safety and Security squad. Sakaria was named on March 23 and will, for the next six months, be in charge of directing the joint Nampol/NDF operational work in the Etosha National Park. He said that he will concurrently be in charge of the Oshana Region and also the anti-poaching operations in Etosha. "I have already been to Etosha, rotated the personnel and properly briefed them," he said.

Two Bulawayo men have been arrested for allegedly possessing ivory with a market value of over US$2 000.

Protection of the rich, floral, fauna and archaeological resources of the Old Oyo National Park would be continually pursued in order to make it a masterpiece among other national parks in the country. It is against this backdrop that illegal activities of hunting, fishing, mining and cattle grazing identified as a menace, are currently being tackled headlong by the park authorities. The Conservator of Park, CP, Old Oyo National Park, Mr. Teslim Adeniyi - Kareem made this known while parading seven suspects recently arrested for various poaching activities in the park.

Akashinga rangers, domiciled in Zimbabwe's Zambezi Valley have recovered 24 pangolins and 118 elephant tusks from raids on poachers since last year in Mashonaland West.

Angola's Criminal Investigation Service (SIC) in Bengo Province bordering the capital city Luanda, detained two poachers for killing an elephant in the municipality of Pango Aluquém. The detention took place this Monday due to complaints from people who saw the accused consuming and selling meat from the great mammal. The two, José Sebastião and Malambo Castro, aged 28 and 30, respectively, countered the accusations by saying that they found the animal already dead and that they only enjoyed the meat and ivory in the company of other people from their community.

Cape Town - Four men from Milnerton pleaded guilty and were sentenced following their arrest for the possession of abalone valued at more than R4.8 million.

An intelligence-driven operation earlier this week led to the arrest in the Oshikoto Region of two residents of Windhoek who stand accused of trading in controlled wildlife products. According to a report about the arrest, provided by the commander of the Namibian Police in Oshikoto Region, Commissioner Teopoline Kalompo-Nashikaku, information received by investigators suggested that the two suspects were on their way to the south after completing a transaction where they were seen selling a pangolin skin.

Police arrested 26-year-old man on the N6 Road with 16 refuse bags filled with abalone.

Two people were detained Wednesday after they were found in possession of a skin of a pangolin which is a protected species. The two were apprehended at a temporary roadblock on the Omuthiya-Ondangwa main road. They are both from Windhoek. According to the regional commander of the police in Oshikoto, Commissioner Teopolina Kalompo-Nashikaku, the skin is valued N$50 000.

O Serviço de Investigação Criminal deteve um caçador furtivo que se tinha instalado no Parque Nacional da Quissama e abatia animais como elefantes e gazelas, que depois comercializava no mercado informal da Mutamba, em Luanda.

Luanda: SIC detains poachers who settled in the Quissama National Park and lived off the sale of the animals they slaughtered The Criminal Investigation Service detained a poacher who had settled in the Quissama National Park and killed animals such as elephants and gazelles, which he then sold at the informal market of Mutamba, in Luanda.

Nearly three years ago, North West District Council Chairman, Kebareeditse Ntsogotho was badly injured during an encounter with a buffalo just outside his home village, Khwai. Last week he, along with six other men from his village- including Deputy Chairman of Khwai Development Trust, Paul Mothathobi were summoned before Maun magistrates court charged with poaching.

The Wilderness Foundation has offered a reward in an effort to put the brakes on the recent spate of rhino poaching in the Eastern Cape.

Vietnamese authorities on Monday seized seven tonnes of ivory smuggled from Angola, the largest seizure of wildlife products in years, the government said.

A new report from the European Union-funded international crime response group, Enact, says organized crime groups from South Africa and China - in collaboration with corrupt wildlife officials - are "decimating" big game animals in one of the world's premier game reserves. 

Pretoria - A woman involved in rhino poaching in the Kruger National Park was on Friday jailed for 16 years by the Skukuza Regional Court.

The latest reports from national governments and agencies reveal (so far) that approximately 548 rhinos were poached in Africa last year. Overall, the total is a slight increase compared to 2021, when 539 rhinos were poached. This is a significant change from 2013 - 2017, when more than 1,000 rhinos were killed each year, yet it’s still dangerously high. On average, one rhino is still poached every 16 hours. Most of the rhinos poached last year were killed in Namibia and South Africa. In both countries, poachers have shifted their focus to new places.

Zwei Männer wurden gestern gegen 09:00 Uhr in der Region Dordabis festgenommen, nachdem sie auf einer Farm zwei Spitzmaulnashörner, eine Kuh und ein Kalb, gewildert haben sollen. Die Verdächtigen waren im Besitz eines Jagdgewehrs und von 15 Kugeln, von denen drei bereits verwendet worden waren. Außerdem wurden zwei Nashornhörner gefunden. Die Nashörner haben einen Wert von jeweils rund 500 000 N$. Die Männer wurden wegen verschiedener Vergehen angeklagt, unter anderem wegen der Jagd auf geschützte Wildtiere und des Besitzes von nicht zugelassenen Waffen.

Twee mans is gister omstreeks 09:00 in die Dordabis-omgewing in hegtenis geneem nadat hulle glo twee swartrenosters, ‘n koei en ‘n kalf, op ‘n plaas doodgeskiet het. Die verdagtes het ‘n jaggeweer in hul besit gehad, asook 15 koeëls, waarvan drie reeds gebruik is. Twee renosterhorings is ook gevind. Die waarde van die renosters is sowat N$500 000 per renoster. Die mans is aangekla vir verskeie oortredings, insluitende vir die jag van beskermde wild en omdat hulle in besit was van ongelisensieërde wapens. Die polisie se ondersoek duur voort.

Two men were arrested yesterday around 09:00 in the Dordabis area after they allegedly poached two black rhinos, a cow and a calf, on a farm. The suspects had a hunting rifle in their possession, as well as 15 bullets, of which three had already been used. Two rhino horns were also found. The rhinos are valued at around N$500 000 each. The men were charged with various offences, including hunting protected wildlife and being in possession of unlicensed weapons. Police investigations continue.

The Namibian Police have arrested two men, aged 47 and 27, who allegedly shot and killed two black rhinos (a cow and a calf) on a farm in the Dordabis area, Khomas Region. According to Chief Inspector Elifas Kuwinga, spokesperson of the Namibian Police, the incident happened on Thursday, 16 March 2023, at about 09:00. It is alleged that the two suspects shot and killed two rhinos and were also found with a 375-calibre firearm, with 13 live cartridges and three spent cartridges. The rhinos are worth N$500 000 each. Two rhino horns were also found at the scene.

The High Court in Polokwane has convicted and sentenced 36- year-old Bethuel Mdubane to 24 years effective imprisonment for an assortment of crimes including murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, and hunting and shooting two rhinos. Additionally, Mdubane was also sentenced for unlawful possession of stolen car, two counts of possession of ammunition, and three counts of unlawful possession of prohibited firearms.

A man was arrested for keeping lions on a plot in Dennydale Agricultural Holdings. Police arrested a 43-year-old man after he was found in possession of three lions, without a valid permit, on a plot in Dennydale Agricultural Holdings. Randfontein police spokesperson Sergeant Carmen Hendricks said police officers were acting on a tip-off when they made the arrests.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism yesterday said they responded to a report about a Hippo that was found dead in the Muyako area, in a purported poaching incident. The Ministry's Spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said that upon close inspection by staff members, it was found that the hippo had a bullet wound, adding that it was poached the previous night. "When the team arrived, community members had already gathered in anticipation for the meat distribution exercise.

Three suspected poachers have been detained by Tanzanian police after they were found in possession of six elephant tusks in the country's northern region of Manyara, police said on Saturday.

Police has arrested three men for illegal possession of seven leopard skins in Victoria Falls.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism has launched an investigation into the poaching of two hippos in the Muyako area of the Zambezi region. This comes after the carcass of a hippo was on Sunday found by community members, who then alerted ministry officials Ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda on Monday said it is suspected that the hippo died as a result of a bullet wound, and that it was shot on Saturday night. He said this was the second hippo killed in the same way in the area this year, with the first incident reported in February.

Last week, the South African Police Service in Piet Retief achieved a commendable result by arresting a 27-year-old man in possession of two rhino horns. The arrest came after members of the public brought information about the suspect’s alleged dealings to the attention of the police. Upon searching his vehicle, the police found two rhino horns hidden inside the bonnet and wrapped with black plastic. The fact that the local community is speaking out against wildlife crime is also a positive development.

When it comes to protecting our rhinos from poachers, there's not a one-size-fits-all solution. There are several ways that national parks, game reserves and organisations are fighting rhino poaching, from fitting rhinos with tracking devices, having anti-poaching units on the ground actively monitoring them, rhino dehorning, education drives, and more. And these do not happen in isolation either, as often a combination of methods are needed to successfully deter poachers. Naturally, all of these hero organisations doing the hard work protecting our rhinos need funds to operate…

As the cases of wildlife crime are on rise, Lilongwe Wildlife Trust has trained journalists in the country to follow and report court case procedures on Wildlife crimes accurately and in a professional manner.

Volgens dr. Ulf Tubbesing het sy span in die laaste twee jaar vyf vlakvarke van draadstrikke bevry.

According to dr. Ulf Tubbesing, his team has freed five warthogs from wire traps in the last two years.

A wildlife trafficker softly cried upon being sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for illegal possession of and trying to sell a pangolin. Zimbabwean national Tichaona Chifamba (41) appeared and pleaded guilty before Regional Magistrate Victor Ball in the Secunda Regional Court on Thursday, March 24. He was caught in an intelligence-driven operation on August 3 last year while peddling a Temminck's pangolin in the parking lot of A and E Hyperworld in Trichardt.

State prosecutors from 11 East African countries have vowed to tighten their cross border cooperation and tackle money launder crimes and other emerging transnational crimes.

Five people found guilty of rhino poaching and related charges were handed down sentences ranging from 16 years to 18 years behind bars.

Johannesburg: The Secunda regional court has sentenced a Zimbabwean national who was found in possession of a live pangolin to a 10-year jail term.

Corruption is a key enabler of the illegal wildlife trade and its effects can be seen in every stage of this crime chain. This is according to a new report by the wildlife trade monitoring network, TRAFFIC, which said by reviewing past wildlife crime court cases, the relationship between these crimes and corruption can be better understood. It noted that thoroughly investigating corruption in these cases can potentially identify higher-level individuals for investigation, arrest, conviction and appropriate sentencing, disrupting organised criminal groups to a greater extent.

Sibusiso Mahlaule (29), George Manyise (30) and Rodrigues Ngobeni (34) did not escape the might of the law and were sentenced by the Skukuza Regional Court for poaching on Friday March 11. The three were caught by field rangers in Kruger National Park on April 18, 2021. It was reported that the rangers, working at Pretoriuskop, had discovered some tracks that brought the presence of intruders to their attention.

Kursusgangers het onder meer geleer oor misdaadfotografie, om afgietsels van skoenafdrukke te neem en afdrukke van motorspore te maak.

Course participants learned, among other things, about crime photography, taking shots of shoe prints and making prints of car tracks.

A 40-year-old Mozambican national, Brian Phiri, has been sentenced after being convicted for poaching by the Skukuza Regional Court in Mpumalanga.

The Royal Foundation’s United for Wildlife and The British High Commission Gaborone, co-hosted a United for Wildlife conference in Kasane, Botswana. Supported by Zambesia Conservation Alliance, the event brought together leaders from the finance, transport, government, law enforcement and conservation organisations from the region with a common purpose of addressing the Illegal Wildlife Trade (IWT) in Southern Africa. The conference focused on sharing best practices in combatting IWT, while also discussing potential frameworks to assist future efforts in the region.

Cape Town - Poaching continues to decimate the rhino population with 451 rhinos poached in South Africa last year, 327 of them from government reserves and 124 from private property.

A wildlifetrafficker has been sentenced to more than a year in prison by the BertouaCourt of First Instance for trafficking in pangolin scales.

Aiming an immobilizing dart at a rapidly moving animal while leaning out of an airborne helicopter seems like an absurd undertaking, but this is how wildlife veterinarians are able to sedate a charging rhino. It's hair-raising work, but can save the rhino's life. Once the rhino lies down, the helicopter lands and a team of experts from Mozambique Wildlife Alliance (MWA) race towards the immobilized animal. They gently cover its eyes with a cloth, keeping it calm.

Cape Town - Yet another suspect has been nabbed for alleged dealing in succulent plants. A 49-year-old suspect was arrested at the Cape Town International Airport on Friday following a police tip-off that he was going to export two boxes of endangered succulents.

Zimparks rangers stumbled upon a decomposing elephant carcass suspected to have fallen victim to cyanide poisoning in Lupane.

South African National Parks (SANParks) today, 19 March 2022, welcomed the sentence meted out by the Skukuza Regional Court to a man convicted on 12 counts associated with poaching. The accused, Mike Nyathi, a 39 year old Mozambican man with a South African citizenship, faced 14 charges relating to two separate cases of rhino poaching.

Rural communities in the Okavango Delta in Botswana have accused the country's government of not engaging them in efforts to combat rampant poaching in the area. Since 2018, more than 100 rhinos have been gunned down by poachers in the Delta and communities in the region say the situation might have been better had the government engaged them in anti-poaching work.

Namwera Police Post in Mangochi has arrested Alex Jumbe, 50, for being found with a Pangolin. Mangochi Police Publicist Amina Tepani Daudi said the suspect who hails from Nakapa Village, Traditional Authority Bwananyambi in Mangochi was apprehended on March 16, 2022 at Mwambwanjira Trading Centre. Daudi added that Namwera Police detectives were tipped by members of the community that the suspect was offering for sale the listed species at the trading centre.