The skeletal remains, including the hides and rotting intestines of several zebra have been found in the reed-beds at Walvis Bay’s bird sanctuary this week, suggesting that poachers are using concealed openings in this area to skin zebra they poached in the Namib.

A reader alerted Informanté to the problem and expressed concern that the reed-beds remain a spawning-ground for all types of criminal activity.  When chased by security personnel or the police, often criminals, including burglars, would hide themselves and their loot in the reed-beds.
Informanté published two articles recently, one of a robber who hid in sewerage water in the reed-beds when hunted down by security personnel after robbing a woman of her cell-phone. The culprit was apprehended, but in a number of instances criminals manage to evade their pursuers in the thick reeds. Informanté also reported on Walvis Bay residents using the reed beds to clandestinely plant and smoke cannabis.
With regard to the poaching, a police official explained to Informanté that poachers often target springbok on the desert plains and in the event of the slaughtered zebra it is suspected that the antelope were shot further away in the Kuiseb area on the mountainous part on the fringe of the Namib Desert near Khomas Hochland. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity points out that if the animals were shot legally it would not be necessary to skin them in the reed-beds in such a concealed place. He further undertook to report the incident to the authority higher up the food chain, so that police patrols can be more vigilant on district roads around the coastal towns in order to combat poaching.
Pictures taken by Informanté revealed the desiccated hides, intestines, legs and hooves of zebra found skinned in the reed-beds. The decayed state of the animal remains leaves little doubt that this was a very recent incident and that the poachers remain active and could still be continuing their illegal activities.