 Reference Base  Rhino poaching in Namibia from 1980 to 1990 and the illeg... |
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Martin, E.B., 1993. Rhino poaching in Namibia from 1980 to 1990 and the illegal trade in the horn. Pachyderm 17: 39-51, figs. 1-5, tables 1-5
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| Location: |
Africa - Southern Africa - Namibia |
| Subject: |
Distribution - Poaching |
| Species: |
African Rhino Species |
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In the same year, the Namibian authorities undertook another unique, highly controversial new policy for rhino conservation. They sold some of their rhino horns as part of a regional investigation into the illegal trade in rhino products. Approximately 60 choice horns weighing 135 kilos belonging to what was then the South West African government were sold for 150,000 rands ($57,000) and sent to South Africa. Since South West Africa was politically controlled by South Africa and was therefore not a member of CITES, the movement of horns was probably legal. These horns were used to catch traders from all over southern Africa, including Namibia. Several arrests resulted from this undercover operation (confidential sources in Namibia and South Africa).
Law enforcement
Namibia is unique in that of all the countries in the world with serious rhino poaching, Namibia is the only one where most of the illegal hunters and traders are caught and sentenced to prison or fined. This has not happened in Asian countries where there are rhino populations, for example, India, Nepal, Malaysia and Indonesia, nor elsewhere in Africa such as Tanzania, Central African Republic, Sudan, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, where there has been heavy poaching over the past ten years. What are the reasons for Namibia's unique success in law enforcement?
Firstly, in the main areas where there are black rhinos - Etosha, Kaokoveld and Waterberg Plateau there is sufficient money officially available to pay for information on potential poachers and middlemen. For example, in 1990 and 1991 the police paid a minimum of 500,000 rands (5175,000) a year to informers on rhino horn and ivory cases. In some instances, informers were paid more by the police than they could earn by selling rhino horn. In addition, some of the non-government organizations such as Save the Rhino Trust also pay out rewards for information. One senior police officer told me that informers have been responsible for the arrest of 60% of the poachers and middlemen in Namibia from 1987 to 199 1. Garth Owen-Smith believes that the reward system is accountable for over 80% of the arrests, as the local people in Damaraland and Kaokoland are now involved with the wildlife management of the area and thus give information to the authorities quite freely (G. Owen-Smith, pers.comm.)
A second reason is that most of the investigations, especially of middlemen, are carried out by the Diamond and Gold Branch of the Police, an extremely well trained unit. These officers have their own special method of investigation, including entrapment, and special ways of handling information.
Another explanation is that there is a lot of co-operation between the Nature Conservation partment and the Police. All important cases of poaching and trading in rhino horn involve not only Nature Conservation officials but also the Diamond and Gold Branch of the Namibian Police. In 1991 the Commanding Officer had 40 policemen, including administrative personnel, working for him.
Fourthly, Namibia has been successful because the police also have close co-operation with the customs personnel at the country's main airports and international border posts. With the co-operation of the various government departments, the police know many of the main dealers in Windhoek and elsewhere. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the middlemen buying rhino horn in Windhoek were Namibians, and also Portuguese who had left Angola and were dealers in elephant tusks and diamonds as well.
Not all the rhino horns traded in Namibia come from locally killed animals. Some originate from Angola, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Traders in Namibia buy these horns to move to South Africa for sale. Few horns have come in from Angola recently, but horns have come through the Caprivi from Zambia and Zimbabwe. At the time of my visit to Namibia in July and August 1991, I was told by a senior Nature Conservation officer that one trader in Swakopmund had 13 horns for sale and one man in Arandis, just cast of Swakopmund, possessed three black rhino horns. From 1983 to 29 July 1991 the Namibian government authorities confiscated 150 rhino horns weighing 262 kilos (see Table 2 for the years 1983- 90), including some originating outside the country. As in many other countries, theft has occurred from government stores. In 1990 the Windhoek storehouse was broken into by a former employee of the Nature Conservation Department, who stole five rhino horns to sell; he was arrested and pleaded guilty to the theft. The official stores in Khorixas were also invaded and rhino horns were illegally taken.
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