The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is pleased to spotlight The Wildlife Justice Commission as a new IUCN-US member organization. The WJC’s mission is to disrupt and dismantle the transnational criminal networks trafficking wildlife, timber, and fish by collecting evidence and turning it into accountability so that organized crime is not driving species to extinction.
About: The Wildlife Justice Commission is an international NGO comprised of law enforcement and legal experts dedicated to fighting transnational organized wildlife crime. We envision a world without wildlife crime, where governments effectively enforce the law to protect vulnerable species. By targeting the most impactful offenders, we work to ensure that organized crime is not driving species to extinction.
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
Key Achievements and Projects: To date, in the period between 2015 and 2024, we have conducted 34 investigations throughout Asia, Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, resulting in the dismantling of 69 criminal networks, and the arrest of 307 suspects (including kingpins and corrupt facilitators), with our work leading to high value convictions in court. We have also seized tons of illegal wildlife parts and products, as well as over 12,000 live animals from the illegal live pet trade. Some of the wildlife species and products seized in these investigations include pangolins, sea cucumbers, shark fins, elephant ivory, rhino horn, radiated tortoises, and lemurs.
As a member of IUCN, the WJC hopes to work with the World Conservation Congress to ensure wildlife crime and nature crime is considered in key negotiations.
“The WJC is pleased to become an official member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. We look forward to sharing our unique expertise with IUCN partners and furthering our mission to combat wildlife crime within the Union’s framework.”
Olivia Swaak-Goldman, Executive Director of the Wildlife Justice Commission
