Plant trafficking on the rise, report warns

Wildlife crime poses a serious threat to conservation efforts across Africa, robbing communities of high-value resources and reducing the benefits they gain from conservation efforts.The just-released 2023 State of Communal Conservation report warns that wildlife crimes occur at multiple levels, necessitating a complex, multi-agency response.“Some wildlife crimes take place at a subsistence level for food or at a commercial level, which then involves crime syndicates and illegal international trade, increasing the stakes," the authors explain. The report notes that within extensive criminal networks, local individuals who take the greatest risk in poaching earn only a small fraction of the profits compared to others higher up in the illegal trade chain.In Namibia, rhino horn, elephant ivory, pangolin scales and meat, as well as rosewood timber, are the primary products poached for the global market, while illegal fishing mainly supplies the African market.Worrying trend A steep rise in plant trafficking has become a particular area of concern. The report highlights that trafficking of rare and endemic plant species is rising rapidly and exponentially – arrests for plant-related crimes increased from three in 2021 to 42 in 2023, according to the report.The harvesting of live plants for the international market has surged over the past two years, with investigations revealing that well-organised criminal syndicates with global connections are targeting Namibia’s flora.“Many of the targeted species are rare and endemic species and the impact on their populations is expected to be substantial. These crimes not only affect plant species but also have social impacts on communities," the authors stress in the report. In order to combat wildlife crime at the national level, the environment ministry, the police and the Office of the Prosecutor General are working closely with other government agencies and non-governmental organisations to tackle the issues. “Conservancy staff, including game guards, fish guards and specialised rangers, are not law enforcement representatives, but play an important role in providing on-the-ground presence to deter, inhibit, or stop illegal activities and alert law enforcement authorities to suspicious activities or wildlife crime incidents in their areas,” the report says.

Plant trafficking on the rise, report warns

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-01

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Plant trafficking on the rise, report warns

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-01

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