Annual
Report 2024

Saving species
from extinction

Olivia Swaak-Goldman

Executive Director, Wildlife Justice Commission

2024: A transformative year in the fight against wildlife crime

2024 was a transformative year for the Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC), marked by remarkable progress in our mission to disrupt and dismantle the transnational criminal networks trafficking wildlife, timber, and fish. From landmark arrests and convictions to strengthened policy influence, we have taken significant steps toward our vision of a world free from wildlife crime.

This year, our work expanded into new regions, with successful operations leading to significant seizures and arrests across Africa and Asia. We dismantled 16 transnational criminal networks and disrupted the illegal wildlife trade on a global scale. Working closely with our law enforcement partners, we supported 84 arrests and facilitated major seizures in countries such as Nigeria, South Africa, Mozambique, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, as well as across South America and Southeast Asia.

Wildlife trafficking remains one of the most urgent threats to biodiversity today. Across regions, species, and ecosystems, it continues to drive extinction, degrade governance, foster corruption, and fuel transnational criminal networks that often traffic not just wildlife, but also drugs, arms, and people. In the face of this growing threat, the global conservation community is working to expand and evolve its strategies. And while investment in approaches such as demand reduction, community engagement, and behaviour change is crucial, proactive and targeted enforcement – especially when it focuses on dismantling criminal networks, following illicit financial flows, preventing and combatting corruption, and empowering local law enforcement – remains a vital part of the overall response and continues to show meaningful impact.

It’s a long road, but with every year and every hardwon result, we are making real progress in the fight to protect wildlife.

At a glance

Investigations

Policy

Building Capabilities

In 2024, the Wildlife Justice Commission played a pivotal role in several major wildlife crime investigations, further establishing itself as a leading authority on the illegal wildlife trade. Our expertise was frequently sought out by international media, with the WJC’s work featured in 113 news reports worldwide. This growing media presence reflects increasing recognition of the devastating impact of wildlife crime and the urgent need for action.

The WJC was mentioned 113 times in international media

times in
2023
times in
2024

Prince William Celebrates ‘Unprecedented Feat’ in Fight Against Illegal Pet Trafficking that Returned Hundreds of Animals to Habitats

People

Historic operation returns almost 1,000 trafficked animals to Madagascar

Aljazeera

Rhino poaching gangster ‘Navara’ locked up for 27 years for Kruger National Park-linked killing sprees

Daily Maverick

Nigerian authorities seize 2 metric tons of pangolin scales, arrest 1 suspect

Mongabay

Wat een pijlgifkikker zegt over de handel in tropisch wild

Vrij Nederland

The magic of
unrestricted funding

At the WJC, results speak for themselves. Our intelligence-driven investigative approach is proven to dismantle the key players in criminal networks. But the nature of our work is unpredictable: traffickers constantly adapt, shifting routes, markets, and species. To stay ahead of them, we must be ready to act when the opportunity arises, often without warning.  

This is why unrestricted funding is a strategic imperative. It enables us to deploy operatives in real time, respond to emerging threats, and pursue high-level targets without delay. When criminal networks shift their operations, unrestricted funding allows us to pivot and intervene, whether in a new market or with an unanticipated species. It is the magic ingredient that ensures we act when it matters most. 

Beyond investigations, unrestricted funding empowers us to strengthen every aspect of our mission. It allows us to invest in cutting-edge intelligence systems, enhance our impact measurements, and engage decision-makers to advance policies that hold traffickers accountable. It fuels innovation, ensuring we continuously refine and improve our approach to tackling wildlife crime. We are especially grateful to those donors who provide unrestricted funding, trusting us to direct their support where it will have the greatest impact. Thank you.

Our partners

In-kind supporters

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