USAID Wildlife Asia
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), working closely with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), addresses wildlife trafficking as a transnational crime through the USAID Wildlife Asia activity. The activity works to reduce consumer demand for wildlife parts and products, strengthen law enforcement skills, enhance policy, legislation and jurisprudence and improve regional action to reduce wildlife crime in Southeast Asia and China.
Elephant ivory, rhino horn, tiger as well as pangolins are among the top items illegally traded worldwide, and especially in Southeast Asia and China. Transcontinental organized wildlife crime decimates wildlife populations, destroying opportunities for local community wildlife-based livelihoods, and does not contribute to national revenues. Wildlife trafficking undermines the rule of law, supports corruption and money laundering, facilitates spread of zoonotic diseases, and has links to terrorism. Click here for the more information of this initiative.
Highlights
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Oct 07, 2019 · News ItemInfluential Thais Ask Public to Shun Ivory and Tiger Amulets
Bangkok, October 7, 2019 – As part of efforts to reduce the use of amulets made from endangered elephant and tigers, WildAid, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) are launching a campaign called “A good life is… -
Sep 24, 2019 · News ItemUSAID and INTERPOL bridge law enforcement responses between Asia and Africa
On September 16, 2019, USAID Wildlife Asia and INTERPOL joined forces to bring top law enforcement officers together from source countries in Africa and destination counties in Asia. The Counter-Transnational Organized Crime training in Yaoundé, Cameroon, provided cutting-edge investigative training to officers from Customs, Police, Wildlife/Forestry Authorities as well as…
Upcoming Events
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Dec 18, 2019 · EventPress Conference: Chi III Public Service Annoucements Launch
USAID Wildlife Asia will launch the Public Service Announcements (PSAs) of the third phase of the Chi Initiative. The two PSAs will be introduced to the media, partners from government, and private sector. Therefore, they can take ownership of these Social and Behavior Change Communication tools to further disseminate behavior… -
Nov 27, 2019 · EventUSAID Wildlife Asia Demand Reduction Coordination Meeting
This meeting will bring together CWT stakeholders to share information and provide activity updates on consumer demand reduction for wildlife and relevant public campaigns in Thailand.
Innovations
USAID WIldlife Asia works with partners to develop a collection of tools to facilitate all the objectives. Up to now, 5 tools were developed, as follows:
Counter Wildlife Trafficking Initiatives Reference Guide
An online version of the Counter Wildlife Trafficking Initiatives Reference Guide
SIG Wildlife Investigator App
This is a mobile app for iOS and Android, aimed to facilitate Special Investigator Group (SIG) in coordinating, communicating, and training.
Pangolin Species Identification Guide:
A Rapid Assessment Tool for Field and Desk:
This guide is designed to help you confidently identify the eight species of pangolin, and when possible, body parts and scales even when removed from the animal.
CITES Species Database
The CITES species Guide. Roughly 5,800 species of animals and 30,000 species of plants are protected by CITES against over-exploitation through international trade.
Resources
Featured reports and fact sheets:
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Mar 03, 2019 · FileUSAID Wildlife Asia Counter Wildlife Trafficking Digest, Issue II, March 2019
USAID Wildlife Asia regularly updates documentation of the current state of wildlife trafficking of these species through a compilation of secondary information to report on and analyze trends and changes in patterns of trade. The Activity also provides an evidence base to support decision-making about priority interventions in policy, law… -
Feb 08, 2019 · FilePangolin Species Identification Guide: A Rapid Assessment Tool for Field and Desk (Lao version)
This guide is published in Lao and designed to help you confidently identify the eight species of pangolin, and when possible, body parts and scales even when removed from the animal. -
Feb 07, 2019 · FilePangolin Species Identification Guide: A Rapid Assessment Tool for Field and Desk (Indonesian)
This guide is published in Indonesian and designed to help law enforcement officers confidently identify the eight species of pangolin, and when possible, body parts and scales even when removed from the animal.
Reducing Consumer Demand
Surging demand, high prices and lucrative profits from wildlife products are driving the drastic decline in species such as elephants, rhinos, tigers and pangolins. USAID Wildlife Asia helps reduce this demand by communicating, mobilizing and advocating ways to change practices and build new social norms around the use of wildlife products.
Building Political Committment
The Supreme Court of Thailand is the key Thai government counterpart for USAID Wildlife Asia, and activities strengthen the Green Benches program, improving court rules of procedures and introducing sentencing guidelines for wildlife crimes.
Enhancing Law Enforcement
Working with Interpol, the ASEAN National Police and the ASEAN Working Group on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and Wildlife Enforcement, USAID Wildlife Asia supports law enforcement collaboration in the region and brings together enforcement authorities in Asia and Africa to share intelligence on active investigations and collaborate in dismantling transcontinental trafficking syndicates.
Supporting US Government Coordination
USAID Wildlife Asia collects, synthesizes and shares information on counter wildlife trafficking efforts with U.S. agencies in the region, providing a knowledge management hub.