Wildlife Crime Citizen Science and Reporting

Public engagement in wildlife crime detection and reporting can strengthen enforcement capacity, protect individual animals, and deter illegal trade.

Key Facts

Wildlife crime is estimated to be the fourth largest illegal global trade by value
Citizen reports are a significant source of intelligence for wildlife crime enforcement agencies
Apps like Wildlife Guardian allow members of the public to report suspected illegal activity
Social media monitoring has become a tool for tracking online wildlife trade
Training community reporters reduces false positives and improves reporting quality

Welfare Considerations

Wildlife crime enforcement agencies operate with limited resources across vast territories. Citizen science reporting extends their reach and provides real-time intelligence that professional surveillance cannot match. From a welfare perspective, faster detection of illegal trade means shorter periods of suffering for individual animals held in transit or captivity. Community engagement also creates local ownership of wildlife protection that can be more durable than enforcement alone. Effective citizen reporting requires training to distinguish legal from illegal activity and clear channels for submitting reports. Digital platforms have substantially lowered the barrier to participation, making wildlife crime reporting accessible to a much broader public than traditional enforcement channels.

What You Can Do

Download wildlife crime reporting apps available in your country and region
Report suspected illegal wildlife trade to national enforcement bodies
Monitor online marketplaces for suspected illegal wildlife sales and report findings
Support organisations training community rangers and wildlife crime reporters
Share accurate information about legal protections for wildlife in your social networks