Wild Crime

Wildlife crime is seen as a soft touch by criminal gangs

New research shows that even serious environmental crimes can lead to relatively light sentences

Oct 2 • 

Sam Meadows

September 2025

'There's a culture of impunity': investigating deforestation in South America

Bolivia has become the second-worst nation in the world for the loss of primary forests; the team at the Gecko Project decided to ask why

Sep 30 • 

Sam Meadows

Tigers under attack

Three men were arrested in Malaysia with a tiger carcass in their boot, but this is just the tip of the iceberg for the threatened species

Sep 25 • 

Sam Meadows

Wildlife 'influencers' in spotlight after croc-wrestling investigation

The ethics of supposedly 'educational' nature content is a thorny issue

Sep 18 • 

Sam Meadows

An ocelot, a Spaniard, and 1,400 animals

Inside Operation Green Shield: how a Middle Eastern country carried out a major environmental crime crackdown in the Amazon

Sep 16 • 

Sam Meadows

Social media influencer investigated for crocodile wrestling videos

The man had apparently travelled from the US to Australia to fulfil a 'dream' of fighting crocs

Sep 11 • 

Sam Meadows

Private breeder raided after advertising animals for sale online

Online marketplaces and social media sites are increasingly important conduits for the illegal wildlife trade

Sep 4 • 

Sam Meadows

August 2025

Rare porpoise facing extinction due to illegal fishing

There are only 10 vaquita porpoises left in the wild, and Mexico has been accused of failing to protect them

Aug 28 • 

Sam Meadows

South Africa's 'Rhino Baron' arrested linked to horn trafficking

John Hume bred the world's largest rhino herd; but the illegalisation of horn trading hit him hard

Aug 21 • 

Sam Meadows

Nigeria's biggest ever wildlife bust; China and South Korea in key fishing agreement

News and updates from the week in the world of wildlife crime.

Aug 14 • 

Sam Meadows

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July 2025

Airport seizure spotlights US demand for rare corals

Traffickers use hammers and chisels to remove corals from reefs in places like Australia and Indonesia

Jul 31 • 

Sam Meadows

'Coffee' shops selling illegal wildlife products to tour groups in Laos

An investigation has discovered more than 20 shops on a trail popular with Chinese organised tours selling products from ivory to rhino horns

Jul 24 • 

Sam Meadows