7000
species of plants and animals trafficked globally
Wildlife Crime
It’s tragic, and it must be stopped. Our global network is on the frontlines to ensure that animals have the protection they need from the illegal market forces that threaten their survival.
7000
species of plants and animals trafficked globally
1000
park rangers killed in the line of duty in the past decade
100
elephants killed by poachers every day
Poaching doesn’t just kill individual animals. It destroys the lives of their offspring and threatens the lives of park rangers.
Rangers are trained by IFAW to protect Kasungu National Park
Stop Poachers
It takes a network to stop a network. We’re fighting wildlife crime by working with local communities and park rangers to stop poaching at its source, engaging governments, communities and businesses to disrupt trafficking networks, and educating the public about what not to buy.
We work with park rangers and law enforcement officials, providing training to prevent wildlife crime on the ground and respond to poaching incidents in the field. We have enlisted the help of local communities, too, that act as informer networks. In Tanzania and Malawi, for instance, there are rapid response teams that stop incursions by poachers in Kilimanjaro and Kasungu National Parks.
Stop Traffickers
We’re training local law enforcement and border agents to crack down on traffickers. That starts with identifying wildlife in trade. In Morocco, for instance, we’ve upgraded the screening process at customs to help officials detect Barbary macaques. Moreover, we’re helping law enforcement agents develop protocols for properly handling living wildlife during seizure, administering emergency veterinary care and guidance on where to send rescued animals.
Reduce Demand
We can’t stop wildlife crime by cracking down on poachers and traffickers alone. We also need to reduce the demand for live animals and animal parts. We’re doing that in two ways: first, by working with companies to ensure that trafficked animals and illegal wildlife products don’t appear in their stores or online platforms and secondly, by leading public awareness campaigns that teach people about wildlife crime and how to avoid the products created by it.
Shape Policy
A poacher in Suriname can sell animal parts to a Chinese buyer on an American website. Wildlife crime is an international problem, and we’re after international solutions. We work with governments and partner organisations to produce effective global, regional, national and local legislation and policies that protect individual wild animals, wild populations and their habitats.
Countering cheetah trafficking from the Horn of Africa to the Arabian Peninsula
See projectbuilding capacities of local communities and alliances to conserve and protect Kenya’s endangered species
See projectdisrupting wildlife trade in Southeast Asia
See projectdismantling cheetah trafficking in the Horn of Africa
See projectdismantling cheetah trafficking in the Horn of Africa
See projectpartnering with the Kenya Wildlife Service to protect threatened species
See projectstrengthening community participation across borders
See projectsaving Barbary macaques in one of their last remaining habitats
See projectprotecting jaguars in the Americas
See projectlocal communities play a vital role in the fight against wildlife crime
See projectWe're transforming what it means to be a woman ranger
See projectWildlife crime is a matter of supply and demand
See projectThe European Union is widely considered to be the third largest destination for illegal wildlife
See projectcombatting illegal wildlife trade in China
See projecta sad truth: where you find wildlife, you will probably find wildlife crime
See projectdogs can sniff out wildlife crime
See projectan auction house in Australia is upending the ivory trade
See projectin Africa, poachers are killing elephants every day
See projectBlog
Working together to stop wildlife trafficking online
Read morePress releases
Demand for wild pets driving surge in wildlife crime across Hispanic America
Read morePress releases
Disrupting wildlife trade with an advanced AI solution
Read moreBlog
Decades-old telephone wires present a ‘catastrophic’ threat to wildlife
Read moreStay in the know. Be ready to act.
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