Allexer Namundjembo
Pupkewitz Toyota, in partnership with Wilderness and Children in the Wilderness (CITW), has donated conservation equipment worth N$40,000 to rhino rangers protecting Namibia’s endangered desert-adapted black rhinos in the Kunene Region.
The equipment was handed over to rangers from the Torra, Sesfontein and Anabeb conservancies, where frontline conservation teams patrol vast and rugged landscapes to monitor rhinos and deter poaching.
The equipment donated includes,a Backpack, Sleeping bag, Binoculars, Hiking shoes and a Knife.
The donation follows the Save a Rhino campaign launched by Pupkewitz Toyota in October last year, culminating in a 12-hour overnight cycling event held at the company’s Windhoek dealership in November 2025.
The fundraiser brought together members of the public to raise funds and awareness for rhino conservation.
Speaking on Wednesday, Pupkewitz Motors Group Brand Manager Shawapala Kandjabanga said the initiative highlights what can be achieved when businesses, conservation organisations and local communities work together.
“This initiative demonstrates the impact that can be achieved when the private sector, conservation organisations, and local communities unite behind a shared purpose.
By working together, they are helping to safeguard Namibia’s unique natural heritage and ensuring that future generations can continue to experience the country’s remarkable wildlife,” Kandjabanga said.
The donation is expected to strengthen the rangers’ ability to carry out anti-poaching patrols and wildlife monitoring safely and effectively in one of the world’s last strongholds of free-roaming desert-adapted black rhinos.
Namibia is home to the world’s largest population of free-ranging black rhinos, with the desert-adapted population found mainly in the Kunene and Erongo regions.
Their protection has become increasingly important as poaching continues to threaten the species despite sustained conservation efforts.
According to official figures released by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT), 366 rhinos were poached in Namibia between 2020 and April 2026.
The annual figures show 42 rhinos were poached in 2020, 44 in 2021, before rising sharply to 87 in 2022, the highest annual total during the period, with much of the poaching concentrated in Etosha National Park.
The number dropped to 67 in 2023, increased to 83 in 2024, and declined significantly to 35 in 2025. Between January and April 2026, the ministry recorded eight rhino poaching cases, suggesting continued progress in efforts to curb wildlife crime while highlighting the need for sustained vigilance.
Community conservancies have played a central role in Namibia’s conservation success. The Torra, Sesfontein and Anabeb conservancies work closely with conservation organisations, including Wilderness and the Save the Rhino Trust, to monitor rhino populations and protect their habitat through community-based conservation initiatives.
The latest donation is not the first investment in strengthening conservation efforts in north-western Namibia.
Earlier this year, Gondwana Collection Namibia donated three vehicles to the three conservancies to improve anti-poaching patrols, wildlife monitoring and community conservation activities in the Palmwag Concession Area, which is home to desert-adapted black rhinos, elephants and lions.
Support for rhino conservation has also expanded nationally. In recent years, several private-sector organisations have partnered with conservation groups to equip and train community rangers, recognising their role as the first line of defence against wildlife crime
