Wildlife Justice Commission

🐯 Today we celebrate #InternationalTigerDay! Now more than ever these big cats need our help. Despite being classified as a CITES Appendix I species - meaning they are threatened with extinction - tigers continue to be trafficked, killed, and sold for profit. Since 2016, the Wildlife Justice Commission has facilitated the arrests of 24 traffickers dealing in live tigers and other big cats, their parts and products, in Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia. 🔔If you haven't yet, read our report on tiger farms and find out how tiger farming perpetuates the supply and demand for the illegal tiger trade run by organised crime networks. 👉 bit.ly/3OcsLHx Join us and help make a difference for #tigers. #GlobalTigerDay #TigerDay2024 #wildlifejustice

Our original #podcast series: “Wildlife Kingpin: The Rise and Fall of Ah Nam” was nominated for Best Podcast at the Beyond the Curve International Film Festival! 🏆 Join us as we follow a team of investigators on the hunt for one of Asia’s biggest #traffickers of #elephant and #rhino products. 🌍🐘🦏 Don't miss out on this gripping journey. Listen🎧 now and see why we've been recognised! 👉 bit.ly/3g36Vcv #WildlifeKingpin #PodcastNomination #BCIFF2024 #WildlifeTrafficking

Make a difference for #wildlife and join our team! We're #hiring! 👥 See our job openings : ⭐ Capacity Building Director  ⭐ Fundraising Manager  ⭐ Strategic Partnerships Intern Find out more about these #careeropportunities ⤵  bit.ly/3pVGZ4I #vacancies  

📢 We are #hiring! We’re looking for an experienced #Fundraising Manager to join our team. #English and #Dutch required. Learn more and apply by 16 August 👉 bit.ly/3zI7dPH #TheHague #jobs #wildlife

🌊 We're excited to join the "Let's Be Nice to the Oceans" movement, coordinated by The Varda Group and the Ocean & Climate Platform and mandated by the UN Oceans Conference co-presidents France and Costa Rica to coordinate civil society organisations’ participation in preparation for the 3rd UN Ocean Conference in Nice next year. The movement aims to increase ambition at the Conference through innovative approaches towards ocean protection. At the Wildlife Justice Commission, we fight the trafficking of vulnerable marine species by implementing the same strategy used to address terrestrial wildlife crime - conducting intelligence-led investigations and sharing our findings with governments. As part of this civil society collective, we hope to highlight the need to address the trafficking of marine species through criminal justice approaches as a crucial component for marine biodiversity conservation and ocean governance & health. Together, we can protect our oceans for present & future generations! #LetsBeNicetotheOcean #BeNiceToTheOcean

Today, I had the privilege of attending the first Security-Development Dialogue on Multilateral Action Against Crimes that Affect the Environment, hosted by the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime with financial support from the European Union through the ECO-SOLVE Project. This dialogue was an invaluable opportunity to engage with international stakeholders on ways to enhance multilateral action to address challenges & weaknesses in existing responses to crimes that affect the environment, ahead of key intergovernmental meetings later this year, including the 12th Conference of Parties to the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) in October. During the event, I highlighted priorities for action to effectively tackle crimes that affect the environment under the #UNTOC based on the Wildlife Justice Commission’s operational experiences, including: 🔹 Recognising these crimes as “serious crime” under the UNTOC, including by using special investigative techniques, joint investigations & applying robust sentencing for high-level traffickers. 🔹 Preventing and combatting corruption facilitating these crimes across global supply chains by coordinating implementation of the UNTOC & United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC). 🔹 Conducting financial investigations to go after high-level offenders, disrupt supply chains & recover assets, and combatting money laundering. 🔹 Leveraging the opportunities that crime convergence provide to combat crimes that affect the environment & other forms of organised crime, such as alternative legislation & enforcement powers. I am looking forward to continuing these important dialogues and driving impactful change in upcoming multilateral negotiations! Only by working together can we effectively tackle environmental crimes and create sustainable solutions. It takes a network to defeat a network. #environmentalcrime #wildlifecrime #wildlifetrafficking #illegalwildlifetrade #organisedcrime #EOCOSOLVE

The mission to disrupt wildlife traffickers won a major victory last week when the collaborative efforts between Focused Conservation and the Wildlife Justice Commission resulted in the arrest of four suspects involved in a major pangolin scale trafficking operation in Liberia. By working together, our organizations demonstrated the success that can result from sharing information and providing mutual assistance for a common cause. Dubbed Operation Lime, the Special Wildlife Investigations Unit (SWIU), mentored in Liberia by Focused Conservation, conducted numerous covert deployments, leading to the seizure of 525.5 kilograms of pangolin scales and the arrest of four suspects involved in this international operation. Since the SWIU was formed in May 2023, they have seized over 1.4 tonnes of pangolin scales destined for the illegal wildlife trade. Focused Conservation appreciates the efforts and intelligence sharing by the Wildlife Justice Commission, which were instrumental in achieving this significant milestone in the fight against wildlife trafficking. #FocusedConservation #Liberia #StopWildlifeTrafficking #EndWildlifeTrafficking #StopPoaching #WildlifeConservation #WildlifeCrime #Pangolin #IllegalWildlifeTrade

The Special Wildlife Investigations Unit (SWIU) of the Liberia National Police, with support from Focused Conservation and the Wildlife Justice Commission, successfully arrested four suspects and seized 525 kg of pangolin scales in Monrovia, Liberia on 10 July 2024. This operation, based on intelligence from the Wildlife Justice Commission, targeted the trafficking of pangolin scales from Africa to Asia.  "This operation marks our first collaboration with the Liberia National Police, SWIU, and Focused Conservation, resulting in the arrest of a significant African pangolin scale trafficker operating in Liberia.  We look forward to further cooperation with Focused Conservation and other like-minded organisations to combat wildlife trafficking in Liberia and across key African export hubs," said Olivia Swaak-Goldman, Executive Director of the Wildlife Justice Commission. Pangolins are considered a delicacy in parts of Africa and Asia. They are highly prized for their meat and unique scales, particularly in China and Vietnam, where the scales are used in traditional medicine. All eight pangolin species are protected under international law, and three species are listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Together, we can make a difference in the fight against wildlife trafficking. Read more 👉 bit.ly/466Mhy4  #WildlifeProtection #EndWildlifeTrafficking #Conservation 

Want to work with us? 💼 🔍 We're looking for a Strategic Partnerships Intern to join us for 6 months starting September 2024. Ready to make an impact? Apply by 25 July 📅! Learn more about this opportunity and apply here 👇  bit.ly/3WbZ52S   #TheHague #hiring #internships #wildlife  #strategicpartnerships 

Today is #SharkAwarenessDay! 🦈 #DidYouKnow that sharks are apex predators? Playing a vital role in regulating the ocean ecosystem by preying on sick or injured animals, keeping the spread of disease at bay. Even kelp forest-vital carbon sinks- rely on sharks to keep grazers like sea turtles and dugongs in check. However, sharks are being wiped out at an alarming rate. The biggest threat to sharks is the unregulated #sharkfin trade, driven by the demand for shark fin soup in China & Southeast Asian countries. It is estimated that every year, 100 million sharks are killed for traditional medicine and shark fin soup. Protecting sharks is essential for achieving sustainable development goals. Combatting the shark fin trade and other environmental crimes is vital for safeguarding our future - recommendations we sent as part of this week’s High-level Political Forum on achieving Sustainable Development. 👉bit.ly/4bx6lut Sharks are one of our species of focus in marine investigations, and we are working hard to disrupt criminal networks illegally exporting shark fin globally.