Actions
Fighting wildlife crime, together.
The WildLIFE Crime Academy takes a comprehensive, multi-level approach to tackling wildlife crime. From gathering baseline data and creating national working groups to developing protocols, training enforcement officers, and promoting international cooperation, each action is designed to strengthen capacity and deliver long-term impact. By combining research, capacity building, technological tools, advocacy, and cross-border collaboration, WCA ensures that wildlife crime is not only better investigated and prosecuted but ultimately reduced across all target countries.
Conduct in-depth baseline assessments
✓ Collect and analyze data on wildlife crime incidents, drivers, and species affected.
✓ Assess institutional capacities, legislative gaps, and enforcement challenges.
✓ Prepare comprehensive reports to inform national strategies.
Establish national structures for coordination
✓ Create National Working Groups on Wildlife Crime in each project country.
✓ Include governmental authorities, CSOs, academia, prosecutors, and legal experts.
✓ Facilitate regular meetings and inter-agency dialogue for better coordination.
Develop national strategies and protocols
✓ Draft and validate Standard Operational Protocols for wildlife crime.
✓ Produce National Road Maps with long-term strategies and responsibilities.
✓ Promote formal adoption into national legislation.
Deliver specialized training programmes
✓ Implement two international Wildlife Crime Academy (WCA) cohorts in Spain for 90–100 officials.
✓ Organize national-level training for 300–400 professionals, including police, environmental inspectors, veterinarians, and prosecutors.
Disseminate knowledge and best practices
✓ Translate and adapt training content and protocols for local contexts.
✓ Distribute educational materials to relevant institutions and stakeholders.
✓ Promote awareness through media campaigns, workshops, and public events.
Develop tools and technology for enforcement
✓ Adapt and deploy the early warning system app for poison and mortality incidents.
✓ Promote GPS tracking of scavenger species (e.g., vultures) to detect poisoning hotspots.
Strengthen international cooperation and networking
✓ Create and expand a regional network of over 800 stakeholders, including: law enforcement agencies, Wildlife crime experts, judicial and forensic professionals.
✓ Organize cross-border workshops and exchange visits.
Advocate for policy change and legal reform
✓ Engage with lawmakers to align national laws with EU environmental directives.
✓ Provide evidence and technical recommendations to support stricter penalties for wildlife crimes.
✓ Promote adoption of best practices in enforcement and prosecution.
Monitor impact and ensure sustainability
✓ Establish indicators to measure reductions in wildlife crime and improvements in enforcement.
✓ Promote government commitments to continue training and cooperation after the project ends.
✓ Prepare and implement an After-LIFE Plan for sustained action.
Work Packages
Work Package 1: Project management and coordination
Objective:
- Efficient administrative, technical and financial implementation of the project via the Project Team. Project Reports submitted on time. As little delays in implementation of project activities as possible.
- Monitoring of project progress via Project Steering Committee (SC). Regular annual meetings of the SC and meeting minutes/conclusions.
- Monitoring and measuring KPIs via Work package 6 on Monitoring and Evaluation. Regular monitoring of KPIs.
| Milestone No | Milestone Name | Lead Beneficiary | Description | Due Date (Month number) | Means of Verification |
| MS1 | Consortium Agreement signed. | VCF | Consortium agreement signed, defining mutual roles, obligations, and communication. | 2 | Signed agreement. |
| MS2 | Project Steering Committee established. | VCF | Declarations of participation in the Project Steering Committee. | 6 | Signed declarations of participation. |
| Deliverable No | Deliverable Name | Lead Beneficiary | Type | Dissemination Level | Due Date (Month) | Description (including format and language) |
| D1.1 | KPI webtool extract | VCF | R – Document, report | SEN — Sensitive | 9, 60 | Electronic report in English (~ 6 pages) |
| D1.2 | Midterm report | VCF | R – Document, report | SEN — Sensitive | 30 | Electronic report in English (~ 50 pages) |
| D1.3 | Final report | VCF | R – Document, report | SEN — Sensitive | 60 | Electronic report in English (~ 100 pages) |
| D1.4 | ToR for the Steering Committee | VCF | R – Document, report | SEN — Sensitive | 3 | Electronic report in English (~ 5 pages) |
Work Package 2: Review and evaluation of wildlife crime in target countries
Objective:
- Acquire current insight into the status of wildlife crime in each project country, particularly regarding scope and severity of all the various types of wildlife crime that WildlifeCrimeAcademy LIFE project actions are targeting, national and international legislation relevant to wildlife crime in target countries, and the capacities of relevant national institutions to combat this type of environmental crime.
Expected results:
- A detailed study about wildlife crime in the project countries produced and widely disseminated to all target audiences.
- Operational capacities of national governmental institutions responsible for investigation and management of wildlife crime incidents analysed, with gaps and obstacles clearly defined.
- Performance and engagement or relevant governmental institutions towards combating wildlife crime in their respective countries analysed and periodically monitored.
| Milestone No | Milestone Name | Lead Beneficiary | Description | Due Date (Month number) | Means of Verification |
| MS3 | First draft of the first edition of the study produced. | VCF | First draft of the first edition of the Study finalized and distributed to all partners for final comments. | 9 | Document produced. |
| MS4 | First annual analysis of the performance of relevant stakeholders done. | VCF | Annual report about the performance of relevant stakeholders after the first year of project implementation produced. | 15 | Document produced. |
| MS5 | First draft of the 2nd edition of the Study produced. | VCF | First draft of the 2nd edition of the Study finalized and distributed to all partners for final comments. | 54 | Document produced. |
| Deliverable No | Deliverable Name | Lead Beneficiary | Type | Dissemination Level | Due Date (Month) | Description (including format and language) |
| D2.1 | First edition of the Study about wildlife crime. | VCF | R – Document, report | PU — Public | 12 | Electronic document in English, disseminated through the project web page and communication channels of the project beneficiaries. |
| D2.2 | Report about current operational capacities of the relevant governmental institutions for combating wildlife crime. | VCF | R – Document, report | PU — Public | 12 | Electronic document in English, disseminated through the project web page and communication channels of the project beneficiaries. |
| D2.3 | 2024 annual performance report of relevant stakeholders. | VCF | R – Document, report | SEN — Sensitive | 3 | Electronic document in English. |
| D2.4 | 2025 annual performance report of relevant stakeholders. | VCF | R – Document, report | SEN — Sensitive | 16 | Electronic document in English. |
| D2.5 | 2026 annual performance report of relevant stakeholders. | VCF | R – Document, report | SEN — Sensitive | 28 | Electronic document in English. |
| D2.6 | 2027 annual performance report of relevant stakeholders. | VCF | R – Document, report | SEN — Sensitive | 40 | Electronic document in English. |
| D2.7 | 2028 annual performance report of relevant stakeholders. | VCF | R – Document, report | SEN — Sensitive | 52 | Electronic document in English. |
| D2.8 | Final performance report of relevant stakeholders. | VCF | R – Document, report | PU — Public | 60 | Electronic document in English, disseminated through the project web page and communication channels of the project beneficiaries. |
| D2.9 | Second edition of the Study about wildlife crime. | VCF | R – Document, report | PU — Public | 59 | Electronic document in English, disseminated through the project web page and communication channels of the project beneficiaries. |
Work Package 3: Setting the basics at national level
Objective:
- Foundations for effective, long-term and sustainable management of wildlife crime incidents in target countries set though a multidisciplinary approach and institutional cooperation.
Expected results:
- Established multidisciplinary teams for active engagement in combating wildlife crime in target countries of the project in each target country.
- Improved basic capacities for combating wildlife crime at national level by developing and adopting national wildlife crime operational protocols in all project countries.
- Defined strategic framework for long-term implementation of key actions for combating wildlife crime by development of 9, and official adoption of 4 National road maps for wildlife crime.
| Milestone No | Milestone Name | Lead Beneficiary | Description | Due Date (Month number) | Means of Verification |
| MS6 | Institutional support for combating wildlife crime secured. | project partners | National working groups for wildlife crime established in all project countries, comprised of representatives of all relevant national stakeholders for combating wildlife crime. | 18 | Official letters from the relevant national institutions for designating their personnel to the working group. |
| MS7 | Basic operational tools for combating wildlife crime developed. | project partners | National working groups have finalized the development of Standard Operational Protocols in all project countries. | 21 | Documents produced. |
| MS8 | Chain of custody for wildlife crime incidents clearly defined. | project partners | National working groups have finalized the development of National road maps for combating wildlife crime. | 45 | Documents produced. |
| Deliverable No | Deliverable Name | Lead Beneficiary | Type | Dissemination Level | Due Date (Month) | Description (including format and language) |
| D3.1 | National Standard Operational Protocols for wildlife crime for all project countries. | project partners | R – Document, report | SEN — Sensitive | 33 | Electronic documents in the respective national languages of the project countries. |
| D3.2 | National road maps for combating wildlife crime for all project countries. | project partners | R – Document, report | SEN — Sensitive | 57 | Electronic documents in the respective national languages of the project countries. |
Work Package 4: Training
Objective:
- Build up practical capacities of relevant authorities to combat wildlife crime, through provision of specialized training programmes and exchange of knowledge and best practice experiences.
Expected results:
- Implemented specialized training towards 90-100 professional staff of the relevant governmental authorities on specialized forensic and police investigation of wildlife crime from the target countries of the project.
- Basic knowledge and training for combating wildlife crime delivered to 300-400 staff members of relevant national institutions for environmental crime in the target countries of the project.
- Established cooperation with the judiciary system in all project countries.
| Milestone No | Milestone Name | Lead Beneficiary | Description | Due Date (Month number) | Means of Verification |
| MS9 | First Level 1 course of the WCA in Spain conducted | VCF | The first basic specialized training course of the Wildlife Crime Academy in Spain successfully completed. | 9 | Certificates of training issued by the professorial team of the Academy and representatives of the Junta de Andalucía. List of participants. |
| MS10 | First training cycle of the first two cohorts of the WCA in Spain completed. | VCF | First 2 cohort of participants from the relevant institutions successfully completed all training programmes of the Wildlife Crime Academy in Spain. | 33 | Certificates of training issued by the professorial team of the Academy and representatives of the Junta de Andalucía. List of participants. |
| MS11 | National training programmes established. | Project partners | First National training courses conducted in all project countries with assistance from the representatives of the professorial team of the WCA from Spain. | 42 | Certificates of attendance issued by the relevant national authorities. List of participants. |
| MS12 | Basic prosecution efficiency increased. | VCF | Exchange of experience relevant to prosecution of wildlife crime incidents enabled through the study visit to EU green prosecutors in Spain. | 39 | Meetings with the public prosecutors in Spain conducted. List of participants. |
| MS13 | Active knowledge exchange on investigating wildlife crime incidents enabled. | VCF | Online platform for exchange of information, consultations and knowledge exchange between the attendees of WCA training courses and the professorial team. | 15 | Online forum set up. |
| Deliverable No | Deliverable Name | Lead Beneficiary | Type | Dissemination Level | Due Date (Month) | Description (including format and language) |
| D4.1 | Educational training programme and materials for the training course. | VCF | R — Document, report | R-UE/EU-R — EU Classified | 9 | Educational program and materials (in English) created and tailored to suit the various professional profiles of the Academy participants. |
| D4.2 | Investigation and sampling kit backpack for participants of the WCA training course. | VCF | OTHER | SEN — Sensitive | 9 | Basic kit (field forms, measurement tools, WCA uniforms) for conducting field investigations of wildlife crime incidents. |
Work Package 5: Communication, awareness and prevention
Objective:
- Changed the perception and attitudes of key target audience towards wildlife crime, especially the relevant governmental institutions whose jurisdiction is to prevent and combat this specific type of environmental crime due to efficient communication and dissemination of the project goals and achieved results.
Expected results:
- Over 500 representatives from the target countries directly reached by the WidlifeCrimeAcademy LIFE project.
- Over 100 representatives from the target countries participated in at least one action of the project.
- Production of at least 30 press releases (in all languages of the project countries), with a target of 80 press mentions, 10 radio and 10 TV interviews/stories/appearances during the course of the project.
- 20,000 people reached by the project website.
- Over 250.000 people reached by social media.
| Milestone No | Milestone Name | Lead Beneficiary | Description | Due Date (Month number) | Means of Verification |
| MS14 | Communication plan produced. | VCF | Plan about communication and dissemination of information regarding the activities and results of the project. | 3 | Document produced. |
| MS15 | 10 press releases (English, all respective languages of the project countries) | VCF | Information about the goals, implementation course and results of the project published by national media from the project countries | 15 | Press releases published. |
| MS16 | Networking with LIFE funded project and other relevant projects. | VCF | Experience exchange organized with other LIFE Project | 57 | Report about networking events and established synergies. |
| Deliverable No | Deliverable Name | Lead Beneficiary | Type | Dissemination Level | Due Date (Month) | Description (including format and language) |
| D5.1 | Operational Project website. | VCF | DEC — Websites, patent filings, videos, etc | PU — Public | 6 | Website of the project in English and in national languages of the project countries. |
Work Package 6: Communication, awareness and prevention
Objective:
- Established international cooperation and network of relevant stakeholders for combating wildlife crime and secured sustainability of implementation of key actions for combating and preventing wildlife crime.
Expected results:
- Established network of over 500 people (law enforcement agents, veterinarians, forensic toxicologists, policy makers, public prosecutors and judges) responsible for combating wildlife crime in Europe and beyond.
- National governments from project countries committed to sending 10-20 staff from relevant institutions annually for specialized training in the Wildlife Crime Academy in Spain for 2 years after the project ends.
- Attendees of the WCA in Spain committed to conducting 1 basic training course for combating wildlife crime annually for their colleagues from the relevant governmental institutions in their respective country, or neighbouring country, for 2 years after the project ends.
| Milestone No | Milestone Name | Lead Beneficiary | Description | Due Date (Month number) | Means of Verification |
| MS17 | Foundation for international cooperation set. | VCF | Final conference of the WCA LIFE project of relevant stakeholders for networking and exchange of experiences and best practices regarding combating wildlife crime. | 52 | Agenda of the meeting and participant list. |
| MS18 | International exchange of experiences and best practice enabled. | VCF | Regional online platform for information and knowledge exchange about wildlife crime stablished. | 50 | Online platform set up. |
| MS19 | Continuation of key WCA LIFE actions secured. | VCF | Meetings with the relevant stakeholders and decision makers to secure the continuation of relevant capacity building actions of the project conducted in each project country. | 60 | Reports from the meetings with relevant decision makers. List of participants. |
| Deliverable No | Deliverable Name | Lead Beneficiary | Type | Dissemination Level | Due Date (Month) | Description (including format and language) |
| D6.1 | After-LIFE conservation plan. | VCF | R — Document, report | PU — Public | 59 | After-LIFE conservation plan drafted in a participatory approach with all project beneficiaries. Electronic plan in English; ~15 pages. |
Project Overview
About
WildLIFE Crime Academy empowers experts and authorities to fight wildlife crime and protect endangered species
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Objectives
The project strengthens law enforcement, international cooperation, and awareness to reduce wildlife crime impacts.
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Results and progress
WCA shares results, monitors impact, and ensures lasting improvements in wildlife crime prevention efforts.
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