Joining forces to stop wildlife trafficking
Uniting Technology and Conservation:
A Bold Step Forward in the Fight Against Wildlife Trafficking
The Disappearance of Entire Species
When we talk about animal conservation and wildlife trafficking, it’s easy to get lost in the numbers and statistics. But behind those figures is a story that is both complex and alarming.
The data on wildlife trafficking seizures barely scratches the surface of the dire problem. Recent estimates suggest that law enforcement intercepts approximately 10% of trafficking ivory contraband. That means for every piece of ivory seized, nine pieces slip through the net.
Devastating Impacts
Take the African elephant. Its tusks are highly sought after. Poachers kill thousands of these majestic animals each year, driven by the lucrative ivory trade. In Mozambique, despite efforts to curb poaching, the elephant population has suffered tremendously to the benefit of transnational crime syndicates.
The Disappearance of Entire Species
When we talk about animal conservation and wildlife trafficking, it’s easy to get lost in the numbers and statistics. But behind those figures is a story that is both complex and alarming.
The data on wildlife trafficking seizures barely scratches the surface of the dire problem. Recent estimates suggest that law enforcement intercepts approximately 10% of trafficking ivory contraband. That means for every piece of ivory seized, nine pieces slip through the net.
Devastating Impacts
Take the African elephant. Its tusks are highly sought after. Poachers kill thousands of these majestic animals each year, driven by the lucrative ivory trade. In Mozambique, despite efforts to curb poaching, the elephant population has suffered tremendously to the benefit of transnational crime syndicates.
Then there’s the tragic case of the pangolin, the most trafficked mammal in the world. Despite their natural armor, pangolins are hunted for their scales and meat. As a result, their populations are plummeting.
Between 2016 and 2019, authorities confiscated more than 206 tons of illegally gained pangolin scales. This number only represents what law enforcement seized.
The demand for pangolin scales – used to make leather products like boots, bags and belts – has led to a catastrophic decline in their population, particularly in Asia. Now they face the very real threat of extinction.
The situation for tigers is similarly distressing. Even with international bans and conservation efforts, tigers continue to be poached for their bones, skins and other parts to manufacture traditional medicines or to produce products such as tiger bone wine, where tiger bones – even whole skeletons – are steeped in wine for lengthy periods. Illegal tiger farms and poaching remain a persistent threat globally. The illegal trade is so pervasive that tiger parts are openly sold online and seizures have surged in recent years, indicating that poaching pressures are intensifying, not diminishing.
The illegal wildlife trade of both wild flora and fauna is exploited by criminals along the entire supply chain, from poaching and transportation to processing and selling.
It is one of the most profitable forms of organized crime, with Interpol estimating annual earnings of approximately $20 billion per year, rivaling the earnings of drug, gun and human trafficking. This crime is not just about animals – it is about people, ecosystems and the stability of economies.
The rhino is a major attraction for tourists to South Africa, which holds approximately 75% of the world’s rhino population.
Trafficking rhino horns is a form of organized, sophisticated crime. Rhino horns are used in traditional medicine, as status symbols and for décor.
Often, they are owned merely for superstition, because in some cultures they are said to bring good luck. Stopping all types of wildlife trafficking networks requires a collaborative effort, including participation from financial institutions, who are closest to the illicit funds criminals attempt to launder.
Wildlife Trafficking – A Human Problem
Wildlife trafficking is not just a conservation issue; it’s a human one. It contributes to the destabilization of regions, exacerbates poverty and even poses health risks by increasing the likelihood of transmitting zoonotic diseases – illnesses that jump from animals to humans.
What can we do?
The fight requires more than just awareness. It demands action – supporting more resources for law enforcement, pressuring governments to close legal loopholes and reducing demand by educating consumers about the devastating impacts of their purchases. We need to empower local communities to protect their wildlife, support international efforts to disrupt trafficking networks and champion policies that hold traffickers accountable.
This is not just about saving animals. It is about protecting our planet and ourselves. Each action we take, no matter how small, contributes to a global effort to end this devastating trade. It is time to make a stand – for the elephants, the pangolins, the tigers, the rhinos and for all of us who share this Earth with them.
Hope
In this dark landscape, there is a beacon of hope. The fight against illegal wildlife trade is gaining a powerful new ally. With the stakes so high, it is not just conservationists who are stepping up – it's global leaders in data and risk management, too.
LexisNexis® Risk Solutions, known for its expertise in uncovering criminal networks, has joined forces with United for Wildlife, founded by Prince William and The Royal Foundation in 2013 to protect endangered species from the illegal wildlife trade. This partnership brings together the latest technology and a passionate commitment to protect our world's most vulnerable species, offering a real chance to dismantle the criminal networks driving this crisis.
By utilizing current systems to identify money laundering and halt illicit commodity revenue, the bank-led United for Wildlife Financial Taskforce is disrupting wildlife trafficking across criminal networks, not just at the source.
The Financial Task Force, established in October 2018 with 19 banks as members, has grown to include more than 60 banks and financial institutions from six continents. This is no small feat – it’s a global network dedicated to dismantling the financial underpinnings of wildlife trafficking.
This partnership is not just about talking the talk; it’s about walking the walk.
Project Blood Orange
Project Blood Orange exemplifies how collaboration helps to fight this crime.
Project Blood Orange, for which United for Wildlife is one of 15 partners and stakeholders, was set up to address the ongoing rhino poaching crisis that killed 8,936 black and white rhinos between 2006 through 2020 in South Africa alone. The project estimated that 2,378 African rhino horns per year were sourced for illegal trade purposes in 2016 and 2017; the majority of these coming from South Africa and Mozambique, with just over 95% of horns sourced for illegal markets through poaching.
The Southern white rhino population has been hit particularly hard due to its having heavier average horn weights and preference for living in larger groups in a more open habitat where they are easier to target. Black rhino poaching numbers across Africa are also slowly increasing. The black rhino remains critically endangered, while the Southern white rhino is near threatened.
The South African Police Service’s directorate for priority crime investigations asked the Project Blood Orange partner, KPMG – a global network of professional firms, providing audit, tax and advisory services – to assist with investigating a major criminal network. The investigation's aim was to provide the evidence needed by the National Prosecuting Authority’s prosecutions directorate and asset forfeiture unit to secure convictions.
As a result, sixteen people were arrested for money laundering, corruption and conspiracy relating to dealing in Rhino horns and other charges – including two former field rangers – following an investigation by a Project Blood Orange multidisciplinary team, which included KPMG, the South African Revenue Service and Africa’s Financial Intelligence Center.
Jonny Bell, senior director, financial crime compliance for LexisNexis Risk Solutions, said: “Even though LexisNexis Risk Solutions was not involved in this project, it serves a fantastic example of an end-to-end investigation that had a direct impact on poaching and incursion rates. Following the arrests, for a period of 155 days, there were zero incursions noted in the area. The latest statistics on rhino poaching further indicated that compared to previous years rhino poaching declined by a third. This spurred us to want to be involved."
Stopping the Illicit Flow of Funds Cripples the Traffickers
Bell continued: “Traffickers need to transact financially or launder their money to look like it was legitimately gained. When we stop the flow of illicit funds, we help stop the traffickers. To do this, we need insights that map the flows of trafficking payments and proceeds, identify the patterns, then engage law enforcement with the evidence to act upon. Finding these illicit flows of cash is one of the many things our solutions are extremely good at detecting.”
LexisNexis Risk Solutions provides advanced tools to identify patterns and connections in complex criminal operations. Imagine using a supercharged magnifying glass to track down the financial trail of traffickers. “This isn’t just about catching a few bad guys,” added Bell. “It’s about cutting off their resources and dismantling their operation from the inside out.”
The two organizations are focusing on using data analytics to uncover and disrupt trafficking networks. Bell added: “Our aim is to offer cutting-edge capabilities to law enforcement agencies and preservation groups that effectively fight wildlife crime. By uniting our efforts with United for Wildlife, we are helping guard against unlawful activities that pose a danger to biodiversity and survival of endangered species.”
Data is Foundational
One of the keys to winning the good fight is through data insights. Integrating and analyzing data from various sources, including financial transactions, shipping records, adverse media and enforcements, pinpoints wildlife traffickers and financial backers, disrupting their operations and cutting off their funding. This data-driven approach is crucial for staying ahead of traffickers who constantly adapt their methods to evade detection.
Rob Campbell, Director
United for Wildlife
As shared by Rob Campbell from United for Wildlife: “Illegal wildlife trade is a multi-dimensional problem and therefore requires multi-dimensional solutions. Partnering with organizations like LexisNexis Risk Solutions allows us access to tools that enable the better protection of wildlife.”
A Global Issue Requiring a Global Approach
Like the illegal wildlife trade, this alliance crosses borders to ensure a global approach, view and solution. This initiative supports United for Wildlife’s mission to foster cross-sector collaboration to make it impossible for traffickers to transport, finance or profit from illegal wildlife products.
Besides providing technological and strategic insight support, LexisNexis Risk Solutions is creating awareness about the illegal wildlife trade and its impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity. Both organizations aim to educate the public through joint campaigns and initiatives that will spur action against protected endangered species. With technology, data insights and teamwork, LexisNexis Risk Solutions and United for Wildlife are setting a powerful example of how organizations can unite to address critical issues.
Jonny Bell, Senior Director Financial Crime Compliance
LexisNexis® Risk Solutions
Bell reflects on this transformative journey: “We are proud to be part of this literally life-preserving initiative. Our association with United for Wildlife is an illustration of how we’re working together to solve one of our planet’s most challenging problems ever. Just like an endangered species, numbers are important. The more teamwork we have on the human and technology side to fight trafficking, the stronger our chances to make a real difference in preserving the world’s wildlife for generations to come.”
Campbell added: “With LexisNexis Risk Solutions supporting us, we are better prepared to meet these challenges head-on and really make a difference in conserving our natural world.”
Take a stand against international wildlife trafficking by understanding risks and red flags. Learn how to help prevent wildlife trafficking by utilizing partnerships and data in our joint LexisNexis Risk Solutions and United for Wildlife report.
Combating Wildlife Trafficking | LexisNexis Risk Solutions
About United for Wildlife
Founded by Prince William and The Royal Foundation in 2013, United for Wildlife is an unprecedented global alliance of private sector, law enforcement, governments and not-for-profit organisations, working together at pace to raise awareness, target, disrupt and prevent cases of illegal wildlife trade.
Environmental and wildlife crime is the third largest criminal activity in the world, costing billions per year, undermining national and regional security; fuelling corruption, serious organized crime and money laundering; increasing the risk of disease transmission; disrupting local communities and driving the loss of biodiversity.
Prince William is a passionate advocate for wildlife and people, recognizing the urgent need to address threats to endangered species, their habitats and the people that depend on them. United for Wildlife addresses these threats by bringing together environmentalists, businesses, global leaders, and NGOs to find and drive innovative conservation solutions.
Since 2016, the United for Wildlife Taskforces have grown to 400 members with more than 140 partners from Southeast Asia to South America, Europe to East Africa. The United for Wildlife network has contributed to over 650 law enforcement cases, nearly 600 arrests, over 350 seizures of wildlife products, and has trained more than 120,000 people.
For more information visit https://unitedforwildlife.org/ or follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/unitedforwildlife/?hl=en
About LexisNexis® Risk Solutions
LexisNexis® Risk Solutions includes seven brands that span multiple industries and sectors. We harness the power of data, sophisticated analytics platforms and technology solutions to provide insights that help businesses and governmental entities reduce risk and improve decisions to benefit people around the globe. Headquartered in metro Atlanta, Georgia, we have offices throughout the world and are part of RELX (LSE: REL/NYSE: RELX), a global provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers.
For more information, please visit risk.lexisnexis.com and www.relx.com.
Take a stand against international wildlife trafficking by understanding risks and red flags. Learn how to help prevent wildlife trafficking by utilizing partnerships and data in our joint LexisNexis Risk Solutions and United for Wildlife report.
Combating Wildlife Trafficking | LexisNexis Risk Solutions
This document is for informational purposes only and does not guarantee the functionality or features of any LexisNexis Risk Solutions product or service. LexisNexis Risk Solutions does not represent nor warrant that this document is complete or error-free. LexisNexis and the Knowledge Burst logo are registered trademarks of RELX Inc. Other products and services may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Copyright © 2024 LexisNexis Risk Solutions. Copyright © 2024 The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales.
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