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WildLIFE Crime Academy

A global initiative focused on improving law enforcement, international collaboration, and capacity-building to combat wildlife crime effectively

Wildlife Crime Academy_WCA_Logo
Initiative period 2024-2028
Initiative area Europe, the Caucasus, and North Africa
Target issues Illegal killing, Trapping, Poisoning, Poaching, and Trafficking of wildlife
Target species Cinereous Vulture, Egyptian Vulture, Griffon Vulture, Bearded Vulture

Wildlife crime is a significant threat to biodiversity, security, and economic stability. This includes poaching, poisoning, illegal trade, and habitat destruction, often orchestrated by transnational criminal networks. Such activities contribute to species decline, environmental degradation, and weakened governance structures and security. Particularly in Europe, scavengers such as vultures and eagles suffer from illegal poisoning, while poaching and illegal trapping impact songbirds and game species in regions like the Mediterranean and Balkans. Wildlife trafficking has grown into a billion-euro criminal industry, attracting organized crime due to weak enforcement and lenient penalties.

birds are estimated to be illegally killed each year in Northern and Central Europe and the Caucasus.
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LEARN MORE ABOUT THE TARGET SPECIES

CINEREOUS VULTURE

GRIFFON VULTURE

EGYPTIAN VULTURE

Funded by the EU’s LIFE Programme, the Vulture Conservation Foundation, and key international partners, the WildLIFE Crime Academy is a five-year initiative with a 2M budget aimed at strengthening law enforcement, enhancing international cooperation, and building capacity to combat wildlife crime in Portugal, Slovenia, Romania, Montenegro, Morrocco, Tunisia, Egypt, North Cyprus and Georgia.

Through a series of specialized training programmes, knowledge-exchange workshops, and collaborative efforts with governmental authorities, NGOs, and forensic experts, the project seeks to improve investigation and prosecution processes for wildlife crime. By equipping enforcement agencies with the necessary skills and tools, the WildLIFE Crime Academy is taking decisive steps to protect threatened species and dismantle the networks driving illegal wildlife trafficking.

BUILD CAPACITIES

The WildLIFE Crime Academy enhances the capabilities of police, environmental inspectors, prosecutors, and veterinarians by providing specialized training. This training focuses on best practices for investigating wildlife crime, including forensic necropsies and toxicological analysis. Building on Spain’s successful experience in combating wildlife poisoning through training course comprising of three levels, the Academy will train 90-100 law enforcement agents and officials in Spain while expanding to train an additional 300-400 personnel through national training programs in participating countries.
© Eleni Karatzia / VCF

KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE

A core element of the Academy is knowledge-sharing, particularly drawing from the successful wildlife crime reduction measures implemented by Spain’s Junta de Andalucía. Over the past 15 years, this region has achieved a significant decline in wildlife crime through proactive enforcement, forensic investigation, and rapid response mechanisms. These methods will be adapted and applied in other regions through structured training programmes, ensuring that best practices are transferred effectively.
The Academy expands this approach to sharing best practices and addressing even broader wildlife crime issues such as illegal trapping, shooting, and trafficking.
© Eleni Karatzia / VCF

ENHANCED INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

Recognizing that wildlife crime transcends borders, the WildLIFE Crime Academy strengthens cross-border coordination and enforcement. The project will establish a network of over 800 law enforcement agents, forensic experts, and legal professionals dedicated to combating wildlife crime. Through international training courses and collaborative efforts, the Academy will facilitate intelligence-sharing, harmonized investigative protocols, and improved prosecution of wildlife criminals across multiple regions. Special focus will be placed on regions like the Caucasus and North Africa, where wildlife trade is rampant and millions of animals are killed or trafficked annually.
© Eleni Karatzia / VCF

HOLISTIC APPROACH

Wildlife crime is a complex, transnational issue requiring a multi-sectoral response. The WildLIFE Crime Academy fosters collaboration between governments, NGOs, academia, and intergovernmental organizations to tackle this issue. National working groups will be established in participating countries to coordinate law enforcement efforts and streamline investigation procedures. By formalizing cooperation between key stakeholders, the project ensures an integrated and sustainable approach to wildlife crime prevention.
© Eleni Karatzia / VCF

Project partners are the Vulture Conservation Foundation as the coordinating beneficiary, and the Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests (MMEDIU), DOPPS BirdLife Slovenia, Centar za zaštitu i proučavanje ptica (CZIP), and Taskent Doga Parki (Taskent Nature Park) TNP as associated beneficiaries.

 

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