Our planet’s wildlife is being decimated
Wildlife crime urgently needs justice. The illegal exploitation of wild flora and fauna is destroying our planet’s biodiversity. The global trafficking of wildlife continues relentlessly, driving many species towards extinction and threatening global security and public health. Massive efforts to raise awareness and reduce demand aren’t slowing one of the world’s most lucrative forms of transnational organised crime.
Nature is in unprecedented decline
We are at risk of losing two million species in the coming years, like rhinos, pangolins, tigers, and turtles – while criminals make billions from illegal sales.
- Every three minutes a pangolin is poached in the wild
- At least one rhino is killed every day for its horn
- Fewer than 6,000 tigers remain in the wild
- For every bird trafficked into the illegal pet trade, one to three others die during capture and transport
Transnational Organised Crime
Wildlife crime is seen as a low-risk, high-reward dirty industry, currently estimated to be the fourth most profitable global crime, after the trafficking of firearms, drugs, and humans. Organised crime networks are attracted by the large financial rewards and low risk of detection or prosecution, emboldening them to prey on vulnerable species for profit.
Given their complex and transnational nature, wildlife crimes are often overlooked: rather than going for the high-level international criminals, focus tends to be placed on targeting more accessible criminals in the supply chain, such as poachers and low-level smugglers. When illegal shipments of wildlife are intercepted, they are rarely subjected to follow-up investigations.
Elephants
Elephants, the largest living land animals, roam across Africa and Asia. These keystone species are vital to ecosystem health: creating paths through dense vegetation, digging waterholes, dispersing seeds, and influencing carbon cycling. Through their feeding and movement, they shape habitats and support countless other plant and animal species.
While evidence suggests some reduction in African elephant poaching over the past decade, large seizures of ivory highlight the continued need for stronger enforcement. Between 2015 and 2024, authorities seized over 193 tonnes of ivory—the tragic equivalent of nearly 19,300 elephants lost—being trafficked by transnational criminal networks.
The demand for ivory continues to fuel illegal trade, threatening elephant survival.
Rhinos
Rhinos are herbivorous mammals that inhabit the savannas and forests of parts of Africa and Asia, playing a crucial role in their ecosystems by grazing and controlling plant growth and bush cover, which benefits countless other species.
Rhinos are under severe threat, primarily due to poaching for their horns. Investigations indicate that the main consumer market is China, where rhino horn is highly valued as a luxury item. It is often carved into decorative objects, prized for their rarity and sought after as symbols of prestige and status. This illegal trade continues to drive population declines, posing a serious risk to their survival.
Pangolins
Pangolins, shy nocturnal insectivores, play a critical role in their ecosystems by controlling insect populations and promoting soil health. Their burrows aerate the soil and spread minerals that are crucial for healthy habitats. Found in the forests and grasslands of Africa and Asia, these scaly anteaters roll into a ball for self-protection when threatened by predators.
Pangolins are one of the most trafficked mammals in the world, hunted for their keratin scales which are wrongly believed to have medicinal properties, and for their meat, considered a delicacy in several countries. Several species are now Critically Endangered due to this trade.
Illegal pet trade
The illegal pet trade is a multi-billion-dollar global industry and one of the biggest threats to species survival.
Each year, millions of animals are illegally captured from the wild and sold into captivity, including birds, fish, reptiles, primates, and big cats. Organised crime networks exploit high global demand for rare and exotic animals—whether as luxury pets, status symbols, or competition animals—driving the capture and trafficking of species often already endangered.
Captured animals suffer greatly, with many dying during transport. Beyond animal welfare, the trade disrupts ecosystems, drives biodiversity loss, spreads diseases, and can even contribute to conflict and instability. Despite protections under CITES, the illegal pet trade continues to thrive, threatening wildlife and human communities alike.
How we fight wildlife crime
The Wildlife Justice Commission works to disrupt wildlife, fisheries, and timber crime, dismantle criminal networks, encourage the growth of political will to combat these problems, and build tomorrow’s sustainable solutions. To protect vulnerable species from exploitation, we:
- conduct intelligence-led investigations
- bridge the intelligence gap with intelligence analysis
- share intelligence and investigative findings with governments and stakeholders
- build sustainable solutions through training and mentoring
- urge governments to act
News
Big cat, big problems: How tiger farms perpetuate the illegal trade in tigers
Driving momentum for stronger criminal justice responses to crimes that affect the environment at the 35th Session of the CCPCJ
Reports
From poaching to prosecution: New WJC report examines whether wildlife trafficking is treated as serious crime
Wildlife Justice Commission report highlights major disruption of global pangolin scale and ivory trafficking networks
Donations made to the Wildlife Justice Commission are tax-deductible under Dutch law, as we have ANBI status. EU citizens can also make their contributions tax-deductible. See our Donate section for more details on how you can help us to fight transnational organised wildlife crime. Donating from the USA? Click here.
