Dear friends and supporters,
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. These results demonstrate our impact and the results we are committed to delivering: disrupting criminal networks and saving species from extinction.
Warm regards,
Olivia
Fighting corruption—and wildlife trafficking—at UNCAC CoSP11
The Wildlife Justice Commission helped secure an important milestone at the UNCAC CoSP11 conference in Doha, Qatar late last year when over 190 UNCAC States Parties unanimously adopted a landmark resolution on “Preventing and combatting corruption as it relates to crimes that affect the environment”, including wildlife trafficking. The resolution reflects growing global recognition that corruption is a critical enabler of environmental crime—and must be addressed head-on.
Wildlife Justice contributed to this outcome both in our own capacity and as Chair of the Global Civil Society Coalition for the UNCAC’s Working Group on Environmental Crime and Corruption, providing expert input and advancing civil society–driven recommendations to strengthen prevention and enforcement.
We now look ahead to implementation and stand ready to work with States and partners to translate this commitment into concrete action on the ground.
Read our full article on this milestone and our engagement at UNCAC CoSP11.
Four rescued orangutans returned home
Four baby orangutans rescued from the illegal wildlife trade in Thailand have now been safely returned to Indonesia, following Wildlife Justice–supported, intelligence-led operations targeting powerful trafficking networks.
The rescues took place during two operations in January and May 2025, led by Thailand’s Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division and the Department of National Parks, with support from Wildlife Justice and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Our investigators identified the trafficking network responsible for illegally transporting the baby orangutans and worked closely with authorities to ensure arrests and the recovery of the animals.
The orangutans are now receiving specialist care at the Sumatran Rescue Alliance Rehabilitation Centre, where they will undergo rehabilitation before eventual release back into the wild.
This outcome demonstrates how coordinated, intelligence-led action can deliver real, lasting results for threatened species.
Read more here.
A cub in a crate
Wildlife Justice is featured in a new OSINT Industries case study that highlights one of our operations in Thailand, which led to the rescue of a one-month-old tiger cub from the illegal pet trade.
In this case, intelligence shared by Wildlife Justice helped Thai law enforcement identify and arrest traffickers who had unlawfully taken the cub for sale, demonstrating how intelligence and investigative techniques can expose traffickers, support enforcement action, and disrupt criminal networks, giving this tiger cub a second chance at life.
Using art to raise awareness of wildlife trafficking
Wildlife Justice is honoured to be featured in Angela Manno’s “The Sacred Biodiversity Oracle: A 36-Card Deck and Guidebook” which raises awareness of the threats facing species such as sharks, seahorses, and pangolins due to the illegal wildlife trade.
Through her paintings, Angela highlights both the intrinsic value of biodiversity and the pressures driving species toward extinction, celebrating the animals’ beauty while also showcasing the efforts of organisations working to protect them.
Explore: The Sacred Biodiversity Oracle
Watch Seizure, our award winning documentary
Seizure is our award-winning short documentary, taking viewers undercover into the criminal networks driving the illegal wildlife trade.
The film offers a rare look at how Wildlife Justice investigators turn intelligence into action—from tracing illicit supply chains to supporting law enforcement in dismantling high-level trafficking networks—to fight wildlife trafficking and save animals.
The film offers a rare look at how Wildlife Justice investigators turn intelligence into action—from tracing illicit supply chains to supporting law enforcement in dismantling high-level trafficking networks—to fight wildlife trafficking and save animals.
Do you want to make a difference for wildlife?
The Wildlife Justice Commission is currently seeking motivated interns to support our work. Visit our website to learn more. Work With Us I Wildlife Justice Commission
Support our work—together, we can disrupt criminal networks and save species from extinction.
