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. In previous years, Namibia recorded 44 rhinos poached in 2021, 42 in 2020, 57 in 2019, 83 in 2018 and 55 in 2017. He revealed such collaborative law enforcement efforts have led to the arrest of 106 suspects, of which 44 were nabbed for crimes related to rhino poaching and 62 for crimes related to elephant poaching. However, he said, it is disturbing to note that of the 106 suspects, 93 are Namibians who are supposed to be at the forefront of combating poaching in the country. Other suspects include eight Angolans and five Zambians. At least nine people were convicted. Seven of them were convicted for elephant poaching related cases and two for rhino poaching related cases.