Improving the security of wildlife in Kenya and Tanzania

We’re combatting illegal wildlife trade through cross border collaboration in law enforcement.

Problem

Kenya and Tanzania share biodiversity-rich transboundary landscapes (Tsavo–Mkomazi, Amboseli–Kilimanjaro, and Maasai Mara–Serengeti) connected by corridors and scattered areas in community lands, freshwater, and marine ecosystems. These ecosystems experience poaching and wildlife trafficking involving rhino horns, elephant ivory, pangolin scales, and African sandalwood, and other species.

Efforts to stop illegal wildlife trade are undermined by a variety of factors, including the vastness of the landscapes, lack of equipment, weak investigative, judicial and prosecution structures, a porous border, and infrastructure developments that allow for easy access and communication between poachers and traffickers.

Solution

To address this problem, law enforcement institutions from the two countries have agreed on a cross-border framework to guide coordinated security interventions.

IFAW and our partners African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) have come together to support the application of this framework by strengthening cross-border law enforcement collaboration to tackle transboundary wildlife trafficking, and through engagement with communities located in wildlife movement areas.

To achieve these outcomes, we are increasing the capacity of law enforcement agencies and other government institutions to enforce wildlife laws and prosecute wildlife crime and apply digital technology and DNA evidence acquisition and analysis. This allows investigators to identify and target the criminal syndicates behind wildlife crime.

At IFAW, we believe that every animal counts, and that directly reducing poaching and trafficking of wildlife in Kenya and Tanzania will improve security for wildlife and human communities in the region in the long-term.

Impact

IFAW is collaborating with AWF, KWS, Tanzania National Parks, and Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority to protect wildlife in Kenya and Tanzania. Funded by the US State Department, International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL), the goal of the project is to reduce poaching and trafficking of wildlife species and their products.

The project will improve professional competencies of wildlife law enforcement personnel and promote inter-agency and cross-border collaboration in addressing wildlife crime through innovative approaches to reduce wildlife crime, from prevention and apprehension to prosecution.

The project will have a long-term impact by directly improving the security of wildlife in Kenya and Tanzania. As both countries are source and transit countries for illegal wildlife products, the project will ultimately protect wildlife across the East African region and beyond. This project is anchored on regional treaties linked to counter illegal wildlife trade strategies to which both countries are signatories.