Wildlife crime operations must change immediately, Shifeta says

Namibia needs to urgently reorganise its combined wildlife crime forces and operation strategies.“The recent discovery of 11 rhino carcasses in the Etosha National Park and illegal timber operations on small-scale farms in the Kavango East Region is an indication that we need to up our game,” environment and tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta said.He added that the demand for species is changing and crime syndicates are shifting their methods.“While we are winning in one area, we might be losing in another without being aware of it. Therefore, this field requires continued vigilance, flexibility in countermeasures, the use of new technologies and strengthened collaboration to tackle the dynamic threat of illegal wildlife trafficking and poaching, which is plundering our valuable natural resources, he said.He was speaking at a national stakeholder forum for wildlife protection and law enforcement held in Windhoek.Shifeta said Namibia has experienced a massive surge in wildlife crime over the past decade, driven by an increased global demand for illegal wildlife products.Wildlife trafficking has become a multibillion-dollar criminal enterprise that has expanded to much more than just a conservation concern, he said.“Environmental crime has exploded to become the fourth-largest criminal sector worldwide - after drug trafficking, counterfeit crimes and human trafficking.”Wider impactAccording to Shifeta, the involvement of organised crime in poaching and wildlife trafficking promotes corruption, threatens peace and national security and strengthens illicit trade routes.He said this not only represents a danger to people, but also destabilises the economy and the livelihoods of rural communities who depend on wildlife.“We have lost a significant number of rhinos, elephants, pangolins and other wildlife, but the losses have much wider impacts.”Shifeta noted that government, international and local funding agencies and non-governmental organisations, the private sector and local communities have spent immense resources to counter this scourge.He said these resources could have been spent on national development needs, “but we are being forced to spend on countering wildlife crime to protect our natural heritage”.While rhino and elephant poaching peaked between 2014 and 2016, pangolin trafficking expanded rapidly from around 2014. Other species, including large cats and reptiles, plants and timber species, are increasingly targeted.“Organised meat poaching has become a matter of grave concern and currently makes up over 50% of all wildlife crime in Namibia.”Serious concernAdvocate Jatiel Mudamburi, the head of the environmental crimes unit in the Office of Prosecutor-General, agreed that wildlife crime in Namibia has become a serious concern that threatens the country’s national heritage and damages the environment.“Therefore, it is only practical that we put our heads together as stakeholders in the fight against wildlife crime to tackle this scourge without fear or favour.”He said as criminals continue to change their methods and tactics of committing wildlife crimes, stakeholders must also do the same to counter these threats.He further urged greater inter-agency cooperation among stakeholders working to protect Namibia’s wildlife.

Wildlife crime operations must change immediately, Shifeta says

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-03

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Wildlife crime operations must change immediately, Shifeta says

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-03

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