Panthera’s Counter Wildlife Crime staff works across the globe to implement state-of-the-art solutions to mitigate poaching and the illegal wildlife trade. From Central America to Southeast Asia, Panthera staff are at the front lines of wildlife conservation, boots-on-the-ground and researchers alike, to safeguard wild cats and their habitats.
Counter wildlife crime is the combination of monitoring poaching and the functioning of illegal wildlife trade across the planet. Often involving collaboration between numerous NGOs and governments, it requires careful, strategic operations among conservation players. People involved in counter wildlife crime include rangers, law enforcement, scientists and legislators.
Panthera conducts counter wildlife crime research and operations in numerous locations. To protect wild cats, we:
SMART (Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool) is cutting-edge technology used to monitor poaching activities and respond effectively. Developed by a consortium of NGOs, SMART is an accessible computer-based platform used to measure, evaluate and improve the effectiveness of wildlife law enforcement patrols.
Critical data is collected by anti-poaching teams and researchers in the field using ruggedized mobile devices. This data includes:
Panthera works to halt the insidious threat of poaching and the illegal wildlife trade. Some of our work and successes include:
Acoustic Monitoring in Honduras
Panthera staff uses acoustic monitoring devices in the Honduran rainforest to record the sounds poachers may make. Since implementation, the frequency of poaching events in parts of Honduras we patrol has gone down.
Research in Bangladesh
Panthera scientists and leaders from partner organizations conducted research with shocking revelations about the changing tides in the illegal trade in tigers from Bangladesh’s Sundarbans.
In Taman Negara, Malaysia, Panthera and partner patrols protect Critically Endangered tigers. After implementation, only a single poaching incursion and a single snare were detected.
Kafue National Park in Zambia houses significant numbers of lions and leopards who, in the past, have been subject to high levels of poaching. However, Panthera and partner patrols and our comprehensive Halo approach have caused poaching encounters to fall dramatically since 2018.
Training for Leopards
In accordance with the 30 x 30 Global Biodiversity Framework, the Royal Commission for AlUla has created more protected areas for wildlife conservation, including the conservation of the Critically Endangered Arabian leopard. Panthera supports RCU, training rangers to safeguard the country’s threatened wildlife.
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© Sebastian Kennerknecht
