46 rhinos poached in Etosha
A total of 46 rhinos have been poached in the Etosha National Park so far this year, of which 35 are black rhinos and 11 are white rhinos.
Environment minister Pohamba Shifeta said this at a handover of 21 off-road 4x4 vehicles and one sedan vehicle as well as IT equipment - worth N$19.8 million - for wildlife protection under the Integrated Wildlife Protection Management Project, which is funded by the German government through KfW.
Shifeta said while the ministry has reassessed its strategies, bolstered its staff numbers, carried out anti-poaching training and is currently investing in the construction of new ranger stations, the fight against organised international poaching syndicates remains a daunting challenge.
“Our rural communities continue to struggle financially, and the current drought conditions have made them even more vulnerable to exploitation by poaching syndicates,” he said.
The increasing cost of living - due to inflation - has exacerbated these issues, the minister added.
Arrests decrease
According to Shifeta, arrests related to both rhino and elephant poaching have decreased from 143 last year to 91 this year, and pangolin-related crimes have also declined from 60 cases last year to 30 this year.
With the additional patrol vehicles, the ministry will be better positioned to ensure the mobility of its units, resulting in reduced reaction time to incidents, he said.
Meanwhile, the donated IT equipment will increase its capabilities in handling the administrative challenges of wildlife protection as well as improve the monitoring and reporting on patrol efforts to demonstrate the impact of the funds invested in wildlife protection services, he noted. “In short, these items will significantly enhance our capacity to protect wildlife and manage our national parks.”
The equipment is not just a donation, but an investment in the future of Namibia’s wildlife, its natural heritage and its people, Shifeta said. “It will strengthen our conservation and law enforcement efforts, bringing us closer to our goal of ensuring that no wild animal is illegally killed in our country.”
Staff safety
German ambassador to Namibia, Dr Thorsten Hutter, said Namibia is one of the leading countries in the world when it comes to the protection of its biodiversity.
He added that the donated vehicles will also enhance the safety of staff when patrolling.
“I have personally seen what rangers go through when out in the field,” he said.
Environment minister Pohamba Shifeta said this at a handover of 21 off-road 4x4 vehicles and one sedan vehicle as well as IT equipment - worth N$19.8 million - for wildlife protection under the Integrated Wildlife Protection Management Project, which is funded by the German government through KfW.
Shifeta said while the ministry has reassessed its strategies, bolstered its staff numbers, carried out anti-poaching training and is currently investing in the construction of new ranger stations, the fight against organised international poaching syndicates remains a daunting challenge.
“Our rural communities continue to struggle financially, and the current drought conditions have made them even more vulnerable to exploitation by poaching syndicates,” he said.
The increasing cost of living - due to inflation - has exacerbated these issues, the minister added.
Arrests decrease
According to Shifeta, arrests related to both rhino and elephant poaching have decreased from 143 last year to 91 this year, and pangolin-related crimes have also declined from 60 cases last year to 30 this year.
With the additional patrol vehicles, the ministry will be better positioned to ensure the mobility of its units, resulting in reduced reaction time to incidents, he said.
Meanwhile, the donated IT equipment will increase its capabilities in handling the administrative challenges of wildlife protection as well as improve the monitoring and reporting on patrol efforts to demonstrate the impact of the funds invested in wildlife protection services, he noted. “In short, these items will significantly enhance our capacity to protect wildlife and manage our national parks.”
The equipment is not just a donation, but an investment in the future of Namibia’s wildlife, its natural heritage and its people, Shifeta said. “It will strengthen our conservation and law enforcement efforts, bringing us closer to our goal of ensuring that no wild animal is illegally killed in our country.”
Staff safety
German ambassador to Namibia, Dr Thorsten Hutter, said Namibia is one of the leading countries in the world when it comes to the protection of its biodiversity.
He added that the donated vehicles will also enhance the safety of staff when patrolling.
“I have personally seen what rangers go through when out in the field,” he said.
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