Wildlife law enforcement in Sub-Saharan African protected areas: a review of best practices
Around the world, wildlife is being depleted by illegal activities at an alarming rate, depriving local populations and national economies of important natural capital. Moreover, this loss has a significant impact on national and regional security. Poaching in Sub-Saharan Africa for example has been subject to a growing professionalization, largely controlled by armed groups that are increasingly organised in international networks due to large profit margins. In 2015, for example, more than 1,300 rhinos were poached in Sub-Sahara Africa, and over 20,000 elephants Africa-wide. In addition, many other mammal species are being targeted, not to mention plants, birds, reptiles and even invertebrates. The illegal wildlife trade is a global problem affecting terrestrial and aquatic species alike. What is the best way to protect wildlife on the ground from the growing threat of increasingly sophisticated poaching and trafficking networks? A new joint publication from IUCN and GIZ addresses that complex question in the context of Sub-Saharan African protected areas. This review, which was conducted in cooperation with the Conservation Development Centre (CDC) and Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS), presents a series of principles of best practice from the field.