Two wildlife traffickers have been convicted and sentenced in Madagascar following the seizure of 167 endangered radiated tortoises in Toliara, in an operation supported by the Wildlife Justice Commission.
Scroll through social media and you find the images everywhere: influencers cuddling tiger cubs, baby monkeys dressed in clothes, colourful talking birds perched on shoulders, and reptiles being presented as exotic pets.
The Cost of Cute: What lies behind the illegal pet trade. Read more »
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The Wildlife Justice Commission today launches The cost of cute: How you can fight the illegal pet trade, a practical guide to help people understand the illegal pet trade, spot animals being trafficked, and report this widespread and lesser-known form of crime.
The cost of cute: Wildlife Justice launches new guide to fight the illegal pet trade Read more »
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Every year on World Rhino Day, we are reminded that the very trait rhinos are known for—their horns—also makes them a prime target for wildlife traffickers.
Rhino poaching is down. Now we need to sustain it. Read more »
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Rhino horn trafficking remains one of the most organised and persistent forms of wildlife crime, linking poaching in Africa to trafficking networks and consumer markets across Asia.
Snapshot from the field: Current trends in rhino horn trafficking Read more »
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In December 2025, 192 States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) adopted Resolution 11/9 on Preventing and Combating Corruption as it relates to Crimes that Affect the Environment. Adopted by consensus, the resolution is the most comprehensive set of global anti-corruption commitments to date addressing corruption linked to crimes that affect the environment.
Today, Wildlife Justice is publishing From inception to impact: 10 years of Wildlife Justice, reporting on a decade of investigations, law enforcement partnerships, and policy engagement to disrupt the organised criminal networks driving wildlife trafficking.
From inception to impact: New report charts 10 years of Wildlife Justice Read more »
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Every year on International Tiger Day, we celebrate one of nature’s most iconic predators and one of the planet’s most recognisable species. Yet behind the celebration lies a harsh reality: around the world, tiger populations are under threat. While tigers are adversely affected by climate change, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflict, the illegal tiger trade is considered one of the most immediate threats to their survival.
Big cat, big problems: How tiger farms perpetuate the illegal trade in tigers Read more »
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Recently, the Wildlife Justice Commission contributed to a crucial UN meeting on fighting crime, the 35th Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ).
From major enforcement successes in Nigeria and Liberia, to cross-border cooperation in southern Africa and high-level discussions at the United Nations in Vienna and New York, one message stands out: criminal networks operate across borders, and effective responses must do the same.
From local action to global impact: Disrupting criminal networks through partnership Read more »
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Over more than a decade of investigating wildlife trafficking networks around the world, the Wildlife Justice Commission has learned one lesson that has become impossible to ignore: environmental crime does not exist in isolation.
The lesson we cannot ignore: Follow the network, not the commodity Read more »
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Four suspected wildlife traffickers have been arrested in Nigeria following a complex operation supported by the Wildlife Justice Commission, resulting in the seizure of 130.84 kg of ivory.
Four suspected wildlife traffickers arrested and 130 kg of ivory seized in Nigeria Read more »
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The Wildlife Justice Commission today published its 2025 Annual Report, marking a decade of intelligence-led investigations, policy leadership, and measurable impact in the global fight against wildlife crime.
Two suspected wildlife traffickers have been arrested in Liberia following operations supported by the Wildlife Justice Commission, resulting in the seizure of 735.5 kg of pangolin scales, representing up to 3,970 pangolins.
Two Liberian pangolin scale traffickers arrested in major wildlife trafficking operation Read more »
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The Wildlife Justice Commission welcomes the arrest of two suspects in Mozambique in connection with the murder of two South African nationals at Crooks Corner in the Pafuri region of Kruger National Park, South Africa.
Joint cross-border operation leads to arrests in Kruger murder case Read more »
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As governments, policymakers, law enforcement agencies, and civil society organisations (CSOs) prepare to meet at the Thirty-Fifth Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) in Vienna next week , the Wildlife Justice Commission calls for greater attention to financial investigations.
Wildlife trafficking remains one of the most pervasive drivers of biodiversity loss, pushing endangered species closer to extinction while undermining ecosystems, communities, and economies.
Fighting wildlife trafficking requires persistence Read more »
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The Wildlife Justice Commission today welcomed the convictions by a Vietnamese court of two wildlife traffickers caught in possession of nearly one tonne of African pangolin scales.
Wildlife Justice Commission applauds conviction of Vietnamese pangolin scale traffickers Read more »
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A suspected wildlife trafficking kingpin, Shamsideen Abubakar, has been arrested in Nigeria following a joint operation involving the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and the Wildlife Justice Commission.
Over the past month, the Wildlife Justice Commission has continued to support targeted law enforcement operations to disrupt wildlife trafficking networks and protect vulnerable species.
One arrest at a time: Targeting the criminal networks behind wildlife trafficking Read more »
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The world came to Samarkand, Uzbekistan, to learn from Nigeria’s experience. The occasion was CITES CoP20, the once-every-three-years global conference where governments decide how to protect endangered species by regulating international wildlife trade.
From transit hub to global model: How Nigeria gave pangolins a fighting chance Read more »
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On 3 March 2026, an operation unfolded in southern Madagascar that would strike at the heart of an international wildlife trafficking network. Acting on intelligence provided by Wildlife Justice Commission investigators.
This month brings encouraging signs of progress in the global fight against wildlife crime. From operational successes with our law enforcement partners in Madagascar, to expanding our work into timber trafficking, to advancing international policy discussions.
Targeting wildlife crime: Progress and partnerships Read more »
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The Wildlife Justice Commission today launches Fighting Wildlife Crime: A Decade of Impact, a dynamic new multimedia web feature marking ten years of disrupting transnational organised crime and protecting endangered species.
Illegal logging and timber trafficking are driving the loss of the world’s forests and pose a serious threat to life on our planet. Thanks to a €1.26 million grant from the Postcode Lottery, made possible by its players across the Netherlands, the Wildlife Justice Commission will expand its intelligence-driven and law-enforcement focused approach to tackling timber trafficking.
As 2026 begins, so does our second decade of fighting wildlife trafficking. We thank you for standing with the Wildlife Justice Commission and supporting our work. Please read on to learn how we helped rescue four baby orangutans and a tiger cub—while also leading international efforts to fight the corruption that fuels wildlife crime.
Embarking on a new decade Read more »
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Four young orangutans have been saved from the illegal wildlife trade through the work of the Wildlife Justice Commission, in close partnership with Thai law enforcement authorities. Rescued in Thailand in 2025, they have now been safely repatriated to Indonesia, where they will undergo rehabilitation before, one day, being returned to the wild.
At the 11th session of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) Conference of the States Parties (CoSP11), held in Doha, Qatar from 15 to 19 December, over 190 States Parties convened to agree on policy priorities guiding national implementation of the UNCAC – the world’s only comprehensive and legally binding anti-corruption treaty.
Fighting corruption – and wildlife trafficking – at UNCAC CoSP11 Read more »
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Every year, as I prepare to write this end-of-year reflection, I find myself returning to the same feeling: deep pride in the impact the Wildlife Justice Commission has achieved, and deep gratitude for all those who stand with us. But this year is different. This year marks our 10th anniversary.
A decade of impact: Wildlife Justice celebrates 10 years of fighting wildlife crime Read more »
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As 2025 comes to an end, we reflect on a year that showcased both the urgency of our work and the effectiveness of our model. From disrupting criminal networks and taking down kingpins of wildlife crime to advancing global policy and expanding our marine investigations, the Wildlife Justice Commission strengthened its impact across every part of its mission.
A year of impact: Highlights from 2025 Read more »
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The Wildlife Justice Commission’s new documentary Seizure has drawn significant global attention following its premiere on 9 December on the Wildlife Justice YouTube channel. The award-winning short film provides a rare look into the inner workings of transnational organised crime networks involved in the trafficking of endangered species – one of the largest and most profitable forms of transnational organised crime.
The Wildlife Justice Commission brought real-world evidence and insights from its investigations directly to governments and decision-makers recently at the 20th Conference of the Parties (CoP20) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
The Wildlife Justice Commission will premiere its acclaimed short documentary Seizure on its official YouTube channel on 9 December 2025 at 19:00 CET. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Matt Durrant, the film offers a rare and gripping look into the hidden world of wildlife trafficking — one of the most profitable forms of transnational organised crime, and one that threatens species with extinction.
Wildlife Justice Commission to premiere ‘Seizure’ on 9 December Read more »
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‘Seizure’, a powerful new documentary short film offering an undercover look at the fight against wildlife trafficking, will premiere 9 Dec. 2025 at 19:00 CET on the Wildlife Justice Commission’s YouTube channel.
Award-Winning ‘Seizure’ Debuts 9 December Read more »
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The Wildlife Justice Commission welcomes the historic decisions taken at CITES CoP20 over the past two days to significantly strengthen global protections for threatened shark and ray species. These measures include the uplisting of oceanic whitetip sharks and whale sharks to Appendix I; new Appendix II listings for gulper sharks, smooth-hound sharks and tope sharks, and increased protections for ray species.
Wildlife Justice Commission welcomes uplistings of shark and ray species at CITES CoP20 Read more »
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This month brought significant progress in our mission to dismantle the criminal networks driving wildlife trafficking. From major convictions in Nigeria, to operational successes in India, to global action at CITES CoP20 and the United for Wildlife Global Summit, the momentum for stronger enforcement and international cooperation is growing—and the Wildlife Justice Commission is playing a central role in driving that change.
One year ago, a Qatar Airways plane took off from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport carrying an unusual cargo: hundreds of live turtles, tortoises, and lemurs, stolen from Madagascar’s forests and trafficked to Thailand. The “lemur flight” was repatriating these survivors of wildlife crime, returning them to the wild, to their home in Madagascar.
Lessons from the “Lemur Flight” Read more »
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The Wildlife Justice Commission
welcomes the conviction on 7 November 2025 of a wildlife trafficker illegally selling pangolin scales in Nigeria.
The conviction marks another significant outcome of Wildlife Justice’s partnership with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to combat wildlife trafficking.
‘Seizure’, a powerful new documentary short film offering an undercover look at the fight against wildlife trafficking, will premiere 9 Dec. 2025 at 19:00 CET on the Wildlife Justice Commission YouTube channel.
‘Seizure’ goes undercover in the world of wildlife trafficking Read more »
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As the Wildlife Justice Commission continues to disrupt transnational criminal networks and protect endangered species, our recent work underscores the power of collaboration — from global policy discussions to intelligence-led enforcement in the field.
Protecting wildlife: From global forums to field impact Read more »
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This week, the Wildlife Justice Commission joined with thousands of people from around the world to shape the future of conservation, as a participant in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress (WCC), held from 9 to 15 October in Abu Dhabi. The WCC, which takes place every four years, brought together nearly 10,000 participants.
At IUCN Congress, Wildlife Justice joins global effort to shape future of conservation Read more »
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The latest updates from the Wildlife Justice Commission as we advance our mission of disrupting transnational wildlife trafficking. From briefing the UK Parliament to expanding cooperation in Nigeria, our recent work underscores the urgency of collective action to prevent species extinction.
Disrupting wildlife trafficking: Policy, partnerships, and action Read more »
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The Wildlife Justice Commission today published a new report examining whether wildlife trafficking is treated with the seriousness it deserves in national legal systems.
The report provides an assessment of how the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) has been incorporated into domestic legislation, and how effectively it is being implemented to tackle wildlife trafficking.
Rhinos are running out of time. Once they roamed Africa in their hundreds of thousands; today, their survival is measured in the thousands. In the case of the northern white rhino, only two remain—both living under armed guard. Rhinos are threatened by relentless poaching for their horns, fuelling a multibillion-dollar illegal trade orchestrated by transnational criminal networks.
Wildlife trafficking remains one of the most urgent threats to biodiversity today. Across continents, it undermines governance, fuels corruption, and drives species closer to extinction. While many species are trafficked, few are as prominent—or as endangered—as rhinos. Rhino horn trafficking is a form of organised crime, with sophisticated transnational networks linking poaching in Africa to consumer markets in Asia.
Rhino horn trafficking today: Intelligence insights and emerging trends Read more »
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The Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC) and Nigeria’s National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen Nigeria’s response to organised 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.
2024: A transformative year in the fight against wildlife crime Read more »
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The Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC) took part in the Third United Nations Ocean Conference, held in Nice from 9 to 13 June 2025. With over 60 Heads of State and Government and 15,000 participants in attendance, the UN Ocean Conference served as a pivotal platform for the WJC to draw global attention to a critical yet often overlooked threat: the trafficking of endangered and vulnerable marine species.
At the UN Oceans Conference in Nice, France, last week, the International Conservation Caucus Foundation UK, the Wildlife Justice Commission, the Environmental Justice Foundation, and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime convened a high-level roundtable at the UN Ocean Conference in Nice to spotlight a critical but under-addressed threat: crimes in the fisheries sector.
Confronting crime to protect our ocean Read more »
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The Wildlife Justice Commission (WJC) took part in the 34th session of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ), held in Vienna from 19 to 23 May 2025. As the United Nations’ main body on crime and justice, the CCPCJ offers a key platform to advance the global fight against wildlife and environmental crime.
