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A 73-year-old man was reportedly arrested for illegal hunting at Otjomupanda village on Friday. According to a police crime report issued on Sunday, the incident occurred around 14:40 during a joint police operation. It is alleged that police conducted a search at the suspect’s residence, where they discovered a kudu carcass valued at N$6,000. A rifle believed to have been used in the poaching incident was also reportedly found at the scene.

Kruger National Park officials have raised the alarm over a mass poisoning that killed over 120 vultures, calling it one of the worst in recent years and warning it could push the endangered species towards extinction. Rescue teams managed to save 81 vultures through an unprecedented joint operation. Experts warn that the poison used - an organophosphate so lethal it's nicknamed 'two-step' - poses severe risks to humans, pets and water systems, with even trace exposure potentially fatal.

Police have arrested a suspected poacher for allegedly poisoning over 100 elephants using cyanide at Hwange National Park. Tony Maphosa, who has been on the run since 2013, allegedly poisoned water points and salt pans with cyanide resulting in the death of more than 100 elephants. Maphosa was arrested in the national park on Wednesday following a tip off. An anti-poaching team comprising rangers from Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and police recovered two pieces of ivory from him. Zimparks spokesperson Mr Tinashe Farawo confirmed the arrest.

Leopards are the second-most traded wildcat in the world, despite their international commercial trade being prohibited under CITES, the international wildlife trade agreement. Trophies and body parts - primarily skins, claws, bones and teeth - are the most traded, according to CITES data. However, other data indicate that illegal trade in skins and body parts is widespread in Asia and Africa. Southern African countries, particularly South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe, are major exporters of leopard parts, while the U.S. is the largest importer, according to data from CITES.

Another rhino was sadly killed at a private game reserve in the Pongola area on Thursday evening. The rhino bull was found dead, but this time around, the horns were still intact. Police suspect that the poachers may have only wounded the animal and it ran away to die somewhere else. Rangers found the rhino on Friday morning and contacted the police. Last week was full moon, oddly enough known as 'Poacher’s Moon'. There is also a known link between rhino poaching and the full moon, which is that anti-poaching teams actively monitor on these nights.

There were 698 lions killed by humans between 1980 and 2018 in the areas surrounding Etosha National Park - an average of 22 lions per year, although researchers say this number is likely an underestimate. A new study found there was no single reason behind the killings.

Six people have been jailed for their involvement in the illegal trade of more than 2.8 tonnes of pangolin scales, one of the country's largest such seizures ever recorded. The People's Court of Nghệ An handed a seven-year prison term to Hồ Văn Mạnh and a three-year sentence to Trần Thị Ngọc for trading prohibited goods and violating regulations on the protection of endangered wildlife. Four other defendants - Phạm Thị Lập, Hồ Mai Yên, Cao Xuân Quý, and Nguyễn Thị Long - received sentences ranging from 15 months to three years. Quý and Long were given suspended sentences.

A suspected poacher has been killed and another injured after a shootout with game rangers in Kruger National Park in the early hours of Saturday, June 14. According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), a group of rangers were on patrol in the Satara area, at approximately 12:45am, when they came across three men, who immediately aroused suspicion. One carried a firearm, and the others had backpacks. The rangers instructed them to stop and demanded that the armed individual drop his weapon to the ground, but the men refused and opened fire.

The Ministry of Environment and Tourism has launched a community reward fund to encourage the reporting of poaching activities to help curb wildlife crimes in the Zambezi region. Namibia has lost over 631 rhinos to poaching over the last 10 years and just over 220 elephants, although the number of poached elephants has significantly declined in recent years. Saisai says compensation varies according to species, adding that if a community member provides a tip on a buffalo being poached, they would be paid N$1 000.

A recent report from the Wildlife Justice Commission analyzed trends in ivory and pangolin scales trafficking from Africa over the past decade using seizure data and found that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted the illegal trade, with fewer significant seizures reported post-pandemic. The report attributes this dip to pandemic-induced lockdowns, increased law enforcement and intelligence gathering, successful prosecutions, and declines in the prices of ivory and pangolin scales.

Botswana's Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) recently conducted intensive practical training for 74 staff members to enhance and strengthen law enforcement capacity through the use of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)’s Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) programme tools. The training was organised as a three-day workshop for three cohorts of rangers from the greater Chobe National Park, including its sub-stations.

Nigeria accounts for the largest volume of detected pangolin scales illegally traded from Africa. Between 2010 and 2021, 190,000kg of scales - representing nearly 800,000 African pangolins - were seized in shipments linked to Nigeria, despite a ban on international trade. Pangolins are scaly mammals found across Asia and Africa. They are considered the world’s most trafficked wild mammals and they are exploited in different ways on different continents. In Asia, mainly China, their scales are used in large-scale therapeutic medicines, despite not having known medicinal properties…

While Namibia and other southern African countries are struggling to protect their rhinos from poaching, scientists are looking for solutions to make the rhino financially unattractive to poachers. According to a new research report published in Science magazine on June 5, dehorning is currently the most effective solution to prevent poaching. The team of scientists led by Kuiper, Haussmann and Whitfield found that dehorning rhinos leads to a drastic reduction in poaching compared to other measures.

Seventy southern white rhinos have completed a journey of more than 3,400 kilometres (at least 2,112 miles) by truck and Boeing 747 from South Africa to Rwanda in what has been described as the largest translocation of its kind. Part of a rewilding initiative, the rhinos were transported in two groups of 35 - first by airliner then by road - from South Africa's Munywana Conservancy to the Akagera National Park in Rwanda, central Africa's largest protected wetland, the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) said on Tuesday.

More than 1,000 starving elephants may have to be culled. Parliamentarians demand answers by tomorrow (Friday). In a scathing parliamentary session on Tuesday, 10 June members of the Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment accused North West officials of gross mismanagement and evasion of responsibility for the ongoing elephant crisis in the Madikwe Game Reserve. The crisis, years in the making, has led to mass starvation and death among elephants, extensive environmental degradation and a controversial proposal to cull as many as 1,200 of them.

To make chuparosa love charms, the birds are first illegally killed. The methods are not fully known, but available information suggests that slingshots were traditionally used. Currently, they are also dispatched with nets and shotguns, loaded with shells containing tiny pellets. Their bodies are desiccated, usually in eviscerated form. They are then sealed in a paper tube, wrapped in thread, and placed in a bag with a prayer card called an oracione. Contemporary chuparosa charms often also have a Hecho En Mexico (Made in Mexico) sticker attached.

By the 1950s, Nile crocodiles in Zimbabwe were nearly extinct. Commercial hunters had killed most of them for their valuable skins. The crocodiles were easy targets because they lived in predictable locations, hunters could spot them easily at night with spotlights, and each kill was worth a lot of money. Instead of banning all crocodile hunting, wildlife authorities did something unexpected: they allowed people to start commercial crocodile farms. Why did this work? Three reasons: Undercut the black market: Legal farms could supply skins, reducing demand for poached ones.

South Africa's pervasive 'rhino war' rhetoric distracts us from addressing the root causes of poaching. We urgently need alternative conservation philosophies, practices and policies to tackle wildlife crime. In January 2025, conservationists were honoured to have you, Mr Dion George, Minister of the Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, at a two-week conservation management course in the Greater Kruger area.

The Skukuza regional court on Thursday sentenced Philip Mfana Masuku to 14 years' direct imprisonment for poaching-related offences committed six years ago. Masuku, 62, from Bhekiswayo Trust in Kabokweni, was earlier convicted for trespassing, killing two rhinos, conspiracy to commit an offence and possession of a dangerous weapon.

We shouldn't have to dehorn rhinos to keep them safe. The ideal is to let rhinos live as they should - horns and all. That's the message from a Nelson Mandela University scientist who led a landmark seven-year study showing that while dehorning can significantly reduce poaching, it's not a long-term solution. To truly protect rhinos, he says, we must dismantle the criminal syndicates.

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) has given the Save Valley Conservancy the green light to cull 50 elephants to curb overpopulation. The growing elephant population is fast exceeding the carrying capacity of Zimbabwe's national parks. ZimParks spokesperson Tinashe Farawo confirmed the development in a statement on Tuesday, noting that permits have been issued to Save Valley Conservancy for an elephant management exercise.

The National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) has warned that little to no progress has been made in shutting down South Africa's captive lion breeding industry, despite a series of government commitments and legal recommendations. During a briefing to the portfolio committee on environment, forestry and fisheries on Tuesday, National Chief Inspector Douglas Wolhuter said that "nothing has changed" - highlighting ongoing welfare violations and a continued lack of enforcement, despite a government-backed plan to phase out lion farming.

The National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) called for the removal of legislative red tape and an improvement in the judicial system when it came to captive animals. The NSPCA made a clarion call for specialised courts to handle wildlife cases and also to expedite cases in the judicial system, during a presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Forestry, Fisheries and Environment on Tuesday.

Emaciated lions, open wounds, pens covered in faeces, no shelter in blazing sun, cubs on rubbish dumps, lacerated paws  - the images displayed on the screen were shocking. But Douglas Wolhuter of the National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) was on a mission to make parliamentarians understand the cruelty involved in captive breeding. It was both an impassioned plea to shut down lion breeding facilities and harsh criticism of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) for failing to implement its own recommendations.

The report, produced under a Service Contract with the European Commission, provides an in-depth analysis of illegal wildlife trade trends based on seizures reported by EU Member States to Europe Trade in Wildlife Information eXchange (EU-TWIX) system. The illegal trade in wild species is a critical threat to biodiversity; valued at a staggering $23bn each year, it devastates ecosystems and fuels crime.

It's past midnight and the officer manning Namibia's fisheries monitoring centre in Walvis Bay notices that a vessel near the Namibia-Angola border has stopped transmitting its location. At the same time, a Namibian fishing vessel's radar detects a foreign vessel notorious for illegal fishing, entering Namibia's waters. Both the officer and the vessel alert the Namibian navy and the fisheries department in Walvis Bay. Calls to the vessel's flag state remain unanswered, and without a law enforcement vessel located near the Namibia-Angola maritime border, the foreign vessel escapes…

Costa Rica is dealing with yet another sharp rise in wildlife trafficking, now our country's third most common environmental crime. Reports highlighted intensified efforts by authorities to curb this growing threat, which endangers our nation’s incredible array of life. Park rangers and police recently uncovered cases involving species like capybaras, parrots, and reptiles, with five capybaras found in captivity just last week. The illegal trade, driven by demand for exotic pets and animal parts, is putting immense pressure on Costa Rica's ecosystems.

In a significant operation against wildlife crime, the Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha Police apprehended one individual in Boudh district and recovered two elephant tusks valued at approximately Rs 50 lakh in the illegal market. Reports stated that acting on intelligence input, an STF team led by DSP Rashmiranjan Pattnaik and Inspector Jitu Mohan Bassera intercepted the accused, Pramod Parida, near Telibandha Chhak in Boudh, at around 7 PM on Sunday.

Private rhino owners are taking extraordinary steps to protect their animals following an increase in poaching incidents, including the brutal killing of a rhino cow in the Hardap region earlier this month.  The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) has confirmed that 15 rhinos and one elephant have been poached across the country so far this year.  In response to growing concerns, a private rhino owner has offered a N$160 000 reward for information leading to the arrest and successful prosecution of those behind the Hardap incident.

More than 120 vultures are believed to have died recently in the Kruger National Park after feeding on an elephant carcass that was laced with poison, allegedly by poachers. Around 80 of the endangered scavenger birds narrowly survived. KwaZulu-Natal has also seen a sharp decline in vulture populations, with vulture poisoning cases reported in the northern parts of Zululand - including Hluhluwe and Pongola. However officials say there's been a sharp decline.

In der vergangenen Woche wurden vier neue Fälle der Wildtierkriminalität gemeldet, und sechs Verdächtige wurden im Zusammenhang mit diesen Straftaten verhaftet. Dies geht aus einem Bericht der Abteilung für geschützte Ressourcen, der namibischen Polizei, des Innenministeriums und des Umweltministeriums hervor. Am 22. November wurde der 46-jährige Tende Ngongo bei Rundu festgenommen, weil er im Besitz von 37 Kudu-Fleischstücken war. Der Mann wurde angeklagt, gegen die Naturschutzverordnung verstoßen zu haben und nicht in der Lage zu sein, den Besitz zufriedenstellend zu erklären…

Kruger National Park, the world's greatest refuge for rhinos, is losing them to poaching faster than they're being born. The park's last rhino may already be alive. It's time to declare an emergency.

The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism says 63 rhinos have been poached since January this year.

Die Zahlen sprechen für sich: Bisher verzeichnete das Ministerium für Umwelt, Forstwirtschaft und Tourismus (MEFT) in diesem Jahr 63 gewilderte Nashörner, davon 41 schwarze und 22 weiße. Wiederum 15 der gewilderten Tiere wurden auf Pachtfarmen gewildert und 22 auf privaten Agrarbetrieben. Die anderen 26 wiederum im Etoscha-Nationalpark. Weiterhin gab die Behörde bekannt, dass die Zahl im Vergleich zu den Vorjahren bereits gestiegen sei. So standen 2021 44 Nashörner, im Jahr davor 42, 2019 53 zu Buche. 2017 seien es 55 gewesen.

THE Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism (MEFT) has recorded 63 rhinos poached since the start of the year, of which 41 are black rhinos and 22 are white rhinos. Spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said this year’s poaching cases include 15 rhinos poached on custodianship farms, another 22 on private farms, and 26 in the Etosha National Park. In previous years, 44 rhinos were recorded poached in 2021, 42 in 2020, 57 in 2019, 83 in 2018, and 55 in 2017.

Muyunda said even though Namibia continues to record successes in the fight against wildlife crime, poaching of highly valued species remains a concern. In 2022 to date, Namibia recorded 63 rhinos poached cases in the country consisting of 41 black rhinos and 22 white rhinos. "This year’s poaching cases include 15 rhinos poached on custodianship farms, another 22 on private farms, and 26 in the Etosha National Park.

The environment and tourism ministry says even though it continues to record successes in its fight against wildlife crime, poaching of highly valued species remains a concern. Ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda over the weekend said 63 rhinos have been poached in the country this year alone. This includes 41 black rhinos and 22 white rhinos. This year’s poaching cases include 15 rhinos poached on custodianship farms, another 22 on private farms and 26 in the Etosha National Park.

Zimbabwe's rhino population remains among the bright sparks on the African continent after it increased by 14 percent from a total 887 in 2017 to now stand at 1,033. The statistics were compiled by Rhino Specialist Groups of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and trade monitoring organisation TRAFFIC, ahead of the 19th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP19) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wildlife Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Panama this month.

There is a resurgence of poaching activities targeting rhinos at Matobo National Park, which threatens to reverse gains made over the years to protect the endangered species. Matobo National Park in Matabeleland South has one of the highest rhino populations in the country. Six poaching incidents have been reported at the game reserve this year, according to Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) Matabeleland South regional manager Midwell Kapesa. Zimbabwe holds the fourth largest population of rhinos in Africa with 616 black rhinos and 417 white…

Namibia will step up efforts against wildlife crime in the country during this year’s festive season, an official said Saturday. Romeo Muyunda, spokesperson of the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT), said Namibia has observed that in the past poachers took advantage of the festive season to undertake criminal activities of poaching rhinos, pangolins, elephants, and other species. Muyunda said even though Namibia continues to record successes in the fight against wildlife crime, poaching of high valued species remains a concern. "In 2022 to date,…

Seven suspects were arrested last week in connection with old wildlife crime cases. This is according to weekly wildlife crime statistics issued by the protected resource division and the intelligence and investigation unit within the safety and environment ministries. On 19 November, two Namibian men, Festus Amunyela and Mekondjo Tsillinus, were arrested at Oshivelo for conspiring to poach a rhino on 16 June. In another incident, Angolan national Ndango Nicolaus was arrested on 17 November in Rundu for being in possession of a pangolin on 4 August.

Six people were arrested for rhino poaching, and one suspect for being in possession of a pangolin skin, states the report.

In August 2019, the rangers were doing their daily routine in Stolznek section using a helicopter when the accused were spotted. They were found in possession of a firearm, ammunition and hunting weapons and were arrested. In aggravation of sentence, prosecutor Lot Mgiba handed in a ballistics report which revealed the firearm that was found in his possession was meant to poach rhinos. Though Sithlangu was sentenced to 14 years for these offences, the court ordered that the terms run concurrently, resulting in an effective 11-year jail term.

A Mozambican court has sentenced a poacher to a 30-year sentence, the second such maximum term handed down this year and evidence of a crackdown by the country's judicial and conservation authorities against the illegal wildlife trade.

Retired Major General Jooste was headhunted for the position of Commanding Officer, Special Projects, at SANParks where he was responsible for developing, planning and executing an anti-poaching strategy. Tony Park is a novelist who divides his time between his home country, Australia, and the South African bush, which features prominently in his well-loved novels.

Rhino poachers entering Kruger National Park are increasingly being run down by packs of unleashed hunting hounds in full cry, followed by a chopper tracking their hi-tech GPS collars. As the baying pack approaches, the poacher has no idea the dogs are trained to not attack. They won't bite him (there are legal implications), but if he tries to harm the dogs, rangers will fire from the chopper. The poachers know this and no dog has yet
been lost to a poacher’s bullet.

On-duty field rangers working at the Tshokwane Section of the park spotted two sets of footprints at Sundwini and followed up the trail using tracking dogs. Mohlala said the two men were arrested and found in possession of a high-calibre hunting rifle with a silencer, four rounds of live ammunition, an axe, backpacks and food. "Through an investigation it was discovered that the two are from Mozambique and did not
have valid documentation to be in South Africa." He said they pleaded guilty during their first day in court, and hence were sentenced…

Two Zimbabwean nationals were arrested after crossing into South Africa on a boat and were found in possession of a pangolin and an elephant tusk.

Increased spot checks of vehicles inside the park will check for park offences such as possession of contraband and verification of identities and booking receipts of occupants inside the vehicles. Technologies being implemented include vehicle number plate recognition, remote vehicle monitoring, radar surveillance and night flying with specialised infrared cameras.