Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources’ Post

As part of a week’s filming for PolicingTV with Suffolk Constabulary, Sergeant Brian Calver, the force’s lead for Rural and Wildlife Crime, met PolicingTV’s Founder and Publisher, Bernard Rix. With filming taking place in one of Suffolk’s many beautiful wooded areas, Sergeant Calver explains that he leads a team of four officers (the Sergeant, plus three police constables) who have primary responsibility for the force’s work in tackling rural and wildlife crime. The first area of rural crime that Brian covers is theft of plant and machinery, primarily from farms in rural locations. “The very nature of the county, a lot of the places that have the machinery and plant are in very remote areas. The access roads aren’t that busy, if people are committing the crime by night, the chances of being seen are very slim… When farmers suffer loss of equipment… that can have a substantial impact on their ability to carry out their farming operations”. Brian sets out some of the prevention, deterrence, investigation and recovery approaches that the force adopts. Next, Sergeant Calver talks about wildlife crime. “We try and focus on the high harm stuff… poaching – hare poaching, deer poaching, fish poaching – bird of prey persecution, badger persecution, bat crime. The most common ones we get in Suffolk are generally badger persecution… and bird of prey crime”. Then on to metal detectorists. “East Anglia is known as a hotspot for being targeted by night hawkers – illegal metal detectorists… We had a successful arrest last year, four people arrested. They’ve just been convicted and sentenced at court only a couple of weeks ago”. Brian concludes with comments about the detailed expertise that his team of four seeks to share with other officers, both within Suffolk Constabulary and more widely. “Wildlife legislation is known for being an absolute minefield… There’s no better way of learning than putting it in to practice, officers often come to us for advice on these matters. The biggest piece of legislation that I try to encourage officers to get their head round is the Animal Welfare Act”. Watch the interview on PolicingTV https://lnkd.in/e-tvxumm #lawenforcement #policing #police #crime #ruralcrime #wildlifecrime

Waterfowl seasons around the country are kicking off, and Delta Waterfowl Foundation is working overtime to protect access and opportunity for duck hunters and promote conservation and conservation funding across North America. Here are some highlights: 🔫 - California lawmakers have sent Governor Newsom a bill that will unfairly tax law-abiding gun owners and hunters in the state with increased taxes to fund vague violence prevention efforts. 💲 - The Pennsylvania legislature has the financial fate of the Pennsylvania Game Commission in their hands right now as they consider legislation that would transfer $150 million away from the Game Fund - costing PGC millions in federal Pittman-Robertson funding. 🌉 - The City of Decatur in Alabama is currently considering several options for a major infrastructure project that would construct a bridge over the Tennessee River directly through Swan Creek Wildlife Management Area, impacting hunting access and opportunity. Click here to read more! #access #hunting #waterfowl #conservation #advocacy #policy

THE OBVIOUS DANGERS FACED BY FIELD OFFICERS ON OPERATIONS Depending on where a wildlife anti poaching operation is taking place, our rangers are subjected to different types of danger. I remember moments when my team and I would pass through human settlements near operational areas and this would clearly make the poachers aware of our presence in the area. The result was often a gun fire shoot out with poachers. This was a great risk on our part. There are many sad stories to tell about officers who got shot and killed or wounded. But these are just issues on the surface, I am familiar of even deeper and dangerous operational issues in many Sub Sahara countries generally and in central and Southern Africa in particular and I know most of these are in public domain. When a ranger is shot down in action, in some countries, there are no reliable insurance or compensation structures for the family members of such an officer to fall back on. Yet when an officer shoots down a poacher in action the story is rather different, especially now that everyone is advocating for a human rights based conservation approach. Officers get locked up and prosecuted. Over the years, I have personally visited several rangers who were locked up in different prisons after their arrests for killing poachers........and it has been sad. I have learnt that there is some promising procedure used in Virunga national park in DRC Congo concerning welfare of officers killed in action. It must be supported. What a high price our officers pay😭😭: I will never forget one incident of this high price👇👇👇👇👇 Mathieu Gameying, Assistant Technical Officer for Water and Forest Service of the National Park of Faro, died on Friday, April 1, 2016, at about 3:00 a.m. in Laro, a town in the district of Beka. According to information gathered from a good source, along with his ecoguard comrades, they went out that night for a routine patrol. In it, they fell on heavily armed poachers. A gunfight ensued immediately. Mathieu Gameying took a bullet to the leg. All response attempts would be futile. Facing the firepower of the poachers, the ecoguards folded, leaving their comrade to the enemy. His body would later be found beheaded. “We work with the Mas 36, and we must confront poachers who have hyper-sophisticated weapons. How can you leave yourself there with such a weapon and only about ten ammunitions at your disposal? Every day, our lives are in danger. This is a valiant citizen who lost his life simply because he did not have the means available to do his job. We are undergoing military training with rigour, but when we are sent out on the ground, we do not have any serious equipment at our disposal, including helmets, protective vests, or suitable weapons. In return, what should we expect?” wondered an ecoguard.😭😭😭😭😭 This situation must never be allowed to repeat. Our officers need the right tools, motivation and support to work

We wish to draw your attention to a concerning trend within the wildlife control industry in our state. It has come to our notice that there has been a proliferation of fraudulent wildlife control businesses operating under fake names in Southeast Michigan, particularly evident in Google search results. These entities not only employ deceitful tactics such as fraudulent reviews to masquerade as legitimate businesses but also engage in false advertising practices. A key warning sign of such deceptive entities is the use of generic language in their communications. For instance, if you call a number and are greeted with a generic message like "Welcome to your Pest Control Service," instead of the actual company name, it is advisable to exercise caution and refrain from engaging further. We have received numerous reports from consumers who have fallen victim to these fraudulent businesses. Often, these individuals are lured in by promises of free quotes and prompt service, only to find themselves in a situation where the work is either delayed indefinitely or sub-contracted to unknown entities, sometimes located out of state. Furthermore, we urge residents to scrutinize contracts thoroughly before engaging with any wildlife control service. Contracts that demand non-refundable deposits, classify contractors as independent contractors for liability and tax purposes, and lack clarity regarding quality control and accountability should raise red flags. It is essential to remain vigilant and watch out for additional indicators of potential fraud, such as receiving paperwork from a different company than the one initially contacted, encountering non-branded vehicles and inspectors with generic attire, and noticing generic content on websites lacking specific details about services offered. Additionally, beware of fraudulent reviews, which often exhibit suspicious patterns such as reviewers with empty or newly created Facebook accounts, Google users reviewing companies from various locations across the country, and multiple companies owned by the same individual receiving similar glowing reviews. In conclusion, we encourage all residents to exercise due diligence when engaging with wildlife control services. By remaining informed and vigilant, we can collectively combat fraudulent practices within the industry and safeguard our community's well-being.

In the NEWS!!! 🗞 🗞 Three highly trained detection dogs, along with their handlers, have achieved their first official success in thwarting #plantpoachers in the Northern Cape, South Africa. These "pioneering pooches" are part of the Endangered Wildlife Trust's (EWT) succulent detection canine team. The team specialises in sniffing out #succulentplants and has been assisting law enforcement by screening vehicles at roadblocks in the Western Cape and Northern Cape. On October 13th in Springbok, the dogs discovered two suspects who had discarded a box containing approximately 1,760 poached succulent plants. They found a lone blueberry-sized plant in the suspects' vehicle, leading to their arrest and charges under the #NorthernCapeNatureConservationAct. This achievement marks a major milestone in EWT's ongoing efforts to safeguard #endangered #fauna and #flora. The project has demonstrated the effectiveness and potential of these canines in protecting trafficked plants, with past successes in identifying poached succulents hidden in luggage and courier parcels. The EWT, working in collaboration with other organizations and law enforcement agencies, aims to expand its intervention further, showcasing the incredible ability of these dogs to quickly and accurately scan vehicles and parcels, saving both time and resources in the battle against succulent #poaching. For more, read: https://lnkd.in/ekr_jy-E #biodiversity #environmentalprotection #poachers #endangeredspecies

The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations was amended in 2017 and one of the key improvements was lifting the capped fines for Defendants found guilty from £5000 to unlimited. Developers were paying little or no heed to the fines, preferring to 'cost them in' to their projects. After all, millions in profit for large developments is hardly going to be dented by a trip to the Magistrates court and a slap on the wrist amounting to, as one of my Defendants put it when asked how he would like to pay replied, 'from petty cash' as he laughed his way out of the court. District Judges take note. Species offences are not on a par with theft, assault, fraud, abuse. The Species are protected for a reason. Once they are gone, they are gone for good. Its time to think outside the box and use your powers to punish effectively. We must dent profit margins if developers are going to stop and take note. 2023 has however been a good year in the fight to protect the environment. Wildlife and Rural Crime in Wales celebrated the launch of a new 2 year strategy and I along with others have had some success. 44 convictions for me across Species including Bats, Great Crested Newts, Raptors, Dormice, etc. The fight is just beginning. Partnership working has never been so good. Officers, NGO's such as the Bat Conservation Trust and Natural Resources Wales are working collaboratively to detect, investigate and prosecute offenders. All we need now are for fines to reflect the gravity of the situation. CPS, District Judges, Magistrates et al, we are working hard to prosecute offenders, but it's a real kick in the teeth when the fines are barely causing an itch. Come on. Step up and use your powers. In other news, I'm proud to report that I received the All Wales Wildlife Crime Officer of the Year 2023 from Welsh Gov in April at Builth Wells and the National Wildlife Crime Officer of the Year 2023 in October up at Stafford. Heres me and the Chief Constable this week reflecting on a couple of my recent awards and planning future strategy for Gwent. Nice.

The Problem with Heat Maps Do poaching hot spots really exist? Of course they do! But think carefully about using patrol data to define them! Hot spots are well known fact of criminology, crime concentrates geographically. Whether you are looking at charcoaling, illegal grazing, or illegal hunting, you will normally find that certain places host more crime than others. This is great for prevention work as it helps you focus resources. Instead of trying to be everywhere at once, you can concentrate on concentrations of the problem. Defining hot spots relies on data about where crime happens. This is where things get tricky for wildlife protection issues like illegal hunting. Knowing that animals cannot ‘call the police’, data about crime locations is directly related to law enforcement efforts to detect illegal activity. We call this the silent victim problem. If you ask your analyst to ‘map the poaching hot spots’ using your patrol data, you need to keep the silent victim problem in mind. Your hot spots of illegal activity might actually be hot spots of patrol activity; more patrols, more snares found. Areas that you do not patrol have no data, which makes them appear to be crime free on your map. One way to think about evaluating your data is to consider the triple foraging process. Wildlife forages for resources, harvesters forage for wildlife, and rangers forage for harvesters. If harvesters and wildlife overlap, but there is not patrol activity, these illegal activities are never detected. It is only where the three groups overlap that we get data showing the location of wildlife protection problems. So, the next time you look at a hot spot map, take a second to think critically about the data you are viewing. What is happening in the areas that were not patrolled. If they have similar features of the areas with illegal activities, would you not expect to see crime in those areas as well? From a patrol planning perspective, you can categorize areas as (1) patrolled with no threat, (2) patrolled with threat, or (3) unpatrolled. Remember too that hot spots are just a mathematical way to visualize concentrations. Points on a map become larger spots that may cover several square kilometres depending on the resolution of your map. In reality, a large chuck of those square kilometres will not have the right opportunity structure for your crime meaning you should dive deeper into the environmental features where crime concentrates. The LEAD Analyst program helps organizations learn how to use and interpret their data for operations. We provide training and mentorship to get your analysts up to speed on the most appropriate techniques to use to make data valuable for planning. We also help managers learn more about interpreting analytic products. #wildlifeproblems #wildlifecrime #problemsolving #conservation

How to go from reaction to prevention? Wildlife protection is no easy task. Sometimes it feels like all you do is move from one ‘fire’ to the next, doing your best with limited resources. It is a vicious cycle…can it be broken? Reacting to wildlife protection issues is a standard part of the job. Wildlife depends on conservation agencies to deploy rangers and scouts to deal with threats in the ecosystem. Without these guardians, wildlife would have to fend for themselves. The question here is, can these same teams prevent problems? Could proactive operations reduce the need for reactive ones? And if so, how would that look? Problem-oriented policing (POP) was developed in the late 1970s to address these questions for public safety issues. After decades of focus on getting better at reacting to crime, such as reducing response times, Herman Goldstein noted that the policing community was suffering from the ‘means over ends syndrome’. In other words, new tactics were not resulting in less crime…something had to change. POP brought in a new way of thinking to strategy development. By picking specific problems and analysing them in depth, new options for prevention would come to light. Many times, police would realise they were not the best ones to solve a problem, but other agencies or community organisations had the right tool for the job. Research shows POP is a proven strategy for crime reduction and one that promotes ethical, holistic interventions that target the drivers and facilitators of the problem. Problem-oriented wildlife protection adapts POP to the conservation context. It provides a framework for institutionalising information-led interventions that look beyond reactive law enforcement operations. It does not remove law enforcement from the toolbox, it merely helps you determine how to use the ‘hammer’ when you need it, and when to use other prevention tools. If we want to stop running from one fire to the next, we need to think more carefully about how we react to threats. This requires working collectively in the ecosystem to diversify information sources and response options. When the only tool you have is a hammer, all of your problems start to look like nails. The LEAD Analyst program helps organizations learn the foundations of problem solving, build problem solving teams, and provides mentorship for analysis and response training. Contact us if you’d like more information about training and mentorship opportunities. NEWS: LEAD will be publishing our new e-course on the Foundations of Problem Solving soon! #wildlife #problemsolving #wildlifecrime #conservation (image by Johan Seijbel)

COMBATING WILDLIFE CRIME (CWC) The fight against wildlife crime in the world today has brought more thinking amongst many actors. Wildlife crime has become a big monster in our midst. We did not know a few decades back that today this crime would be counted amongst the top world organized crimes. it has now graduated into an organised crime system affecting world politics, health, security, social economics etc. Each day the criminal gangs have learnt from each other how to converge their criminal activities at a pace much faster than the systems we put in to counter them. Whilst we are still rigid in our governmental or institutional structures, the criminal groups are more fluid and less concerned about our slow paced criminal justice systems. WHAT CAN WE DO? There is nothing like “one size fits all” approach, but we need to do everything possible to make sure that we do not use “fire man approach” that is acting only the house is on fire. 1. Training: life is dynamic and crime changes its form from one dimension to another on a daily. During my time working in the wildlife and prosecution sector in Zambia, I have seen to what extent training helps to sharpen the skills of officers to help them respond to this area of crime. So the wildlife officers, prosecutors and the judiciary need training. 2. Crime operates well with technology and so those along the criminal justice system, such as the intelligence and investigative teams, need to have the relevant expertise and access to technology. 3. The constant engagement of prosecutors and members of the judiciary is key. A well knowing prosecution and judicial system is a crucial component in determining to what extent we can use the law as a deterrent tool against wildlife crime. 4. A good and dependable criminal justice system largely depends on good policies and laws. The ability to modify and enact good policies and laws sits well with a good prosecution and judiciary system. 5. Visibilty: I have always believed that good works or efforts must be known or be visible to the general public. The work of journalism is therefore key. Cases must be properly reported and reported in full from the point of arrest to the time the case is brought to a close in court. This also applies to proper engagement of other sectors such as the banks to help monitor any money laundering operations done by wildlife criminals, even those involved in transportation should be engaged to help monitor what goods are moved from one point to another. This also applies to those working in the telecommunication industry and also the law makers (legislature). Everyone must be involved to get positive results 6. Interagency cooperation: ability for all agencies to work as a team is essential. We cannot work in isolation and hope to get results. And for many of us with practical experiences in the fight against wildlife crime, our role is to help get these things done