The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism’s (MEFT) Annual Report, coordinated by Rooikat Trust and informed by wildlife crime data from the Blue Rhino Task Team (BRTT), offers a brutally honest assessment of Namibia’s decade-long response to the poaching crisis.

The report lays bare the full extent of known losses: more than 700 rhinos poached, at least 650 pangolins killed, and an almost unimaginable scale of succulent poaching. These crimes don’t just threaten biodiversity and ecosystem resilience—they also rob Namibians of cultural heritage and critical opportunities for sustainable wildlife-based benefits.

Key Focus Areas of the Report

Poaching Trends & Impacts

The report reviews the status of key species including rhinos, elephants, and pangolins. It also highlights a worrying surge in the illegal trade of plants and reptiles, along with other emerging threats.

Community & Civil Society Action

Namibian citizens continue to play a vital role in combatting wildlife crime. The report underscores the importance of public engagement, particularly in ensuring transparency and accountability in the judicial process.

International & Donor Support

Critical funding and global partnerships have strengthened Namibia’s capacity to push back against highly motivated, well-funded international crime syndicates.

Operational Achievements

Thanks to the wildlife crime database, the report captures positive outcomes from coordinated law enforcement efforts—ranging from increased arrests, prosecutions, and seizures to periods of reduced poaching.

Ongoing Challenges

The pressure on protected and high-value species continues. The report calls for better intelligence-to-action responses and improved adaptability to emerging trafficking trends.

Future Priorities

Key priorities include stronger inter-agency collaboration, deeper community engagement, a targeted focus on plant and reptile trafficking, and long-term donor commitment.

Continued Support Through CWC Projects

The Namibian Nature Foundation’s (NNF) Combatting Wildlife Crime (CWC) projects continue to support partners like BRTT through Rooikat Trust, Namibia Revenue Agency, and Save the Rhino Trust (SRT) in the fight against illegal wildlife trade.

These efforts are made possible through sustained support from key partners, including the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), the Rhino Recovery Fund (managed through the Wildlife Conservation Network), USAID, the European Commission via the Rapid Rescue Facility under the Re:Wild grant, and the North Carolina Zoo.

Interested readers can access the full Annual Namibia Wildlife Protection and Law Enforcement Report here:
 https://nnf.org.na/educational-material/

Infographic
This infographic has been designed by NNF for awareness purposes only.