Mon 01 April 2024:
The Ministry of Environment, Forestry, and Tourism in Namibia voiced grave concerns on Monday regarding the increase in poaching within the country’s premier park, Etosha National Park, where 19 rhinoceroses had been unlawfully killed since the year 2024 began.
In addition to the rhinoceroses killed in the national park, Romeo Muyunda, the ministry’s spokesperson, stated in a statement that five more rhinoceroses were poached on private farms, three on farms where rhinoceroses are kept under custodianship, and one in the Kunene region. These 28 rhinoceroses, comprising 19 black and 9 white rhinoceroses, were killed this year.
“Poaching in Etosha is particularly concerning because this is our flagship park and has a high concentration of rhino conservation and other high-value species, making it a major tourist attraction,” he said.
Muyunda said an assessment is being undertaken in Etosha to establish the full extent of the problem based on the current situation and urgency.
Furthermore, he said, an urgent high-level meeting by the ministry with the security clusters has been called to dissect the matter.
Muyunda said that no arrests have been made in the recent cases so far, adding that cases were opened and investigations continue.
On a positive note, Muyunda revealed that the country has not recorded any poaching cases of elephants so far in 2024.
He urged all stakeholders, including members of the public, to join the Ministry in fighting against the poaching of high-value species.
Muyunda reiterated that the Ministry condemned the barbaric actions of those involved in poaching and called upon
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