What is Wildlife Crime?
It is one of the world’s most profitable and overlooked criminal industries.
It involves illegal acts targeting wild animals and plants – such as poaching, poisoning, trafficking, and illegal killing.
These crimes devastate biodiversity, fuel organized crime, and often go undetected and unpunished.
Worth up to USD 20 billion globally
Only 10-15% of illicit wildlife products are intercepted in Europe
25 million+ birds illegally killed in the Mediterranean every year
More than an environmental problem
This form of environmental crime ranks among the five most profitable transnational offenses – alongside drug smuggling, arms, and human trafficking. Yet, unlike these, it rarely gets equal attention or enforcement resources.
It empowers criminal networks, undermines governance, threatens public health, and causes irreversible ecological loss.
Explore the key dimensions of this illicit trade, how it operates – and what it takes to disrupt it.
Explore the main forms of WildLIFE crime:
- Illegal killing & trapping
- Poisoning of protected species
- Trafficking of animals and wildlife products
See how WildLIFE crime affects:
- Biodiversity – species extinction & ecological collapse
- Public Health – risk of zoonotic diseases
- Security – links to organized crime & corruption
- Economies – losses to tourism, agriculture, and enforcement costs
Discover proven strategies and tools:
- Forensic and legal tools
- Surveillance and early warning systems
- Training programmes and cross-border cooperation
Why this matters
Our Academy exists to close that gap – by training professionals, building networks, and putting knowledge into action.