Wildlife Crime: Changing the Narrative (original) (raw)

The classic detective novel sets a scene of criminal intrigue, introducing a hapless victim, the fallible but noble detective, and the scheming, villainous perpetrator. But that isn't the story of Wildlife Crime, where the role of defender and offender are blurred, with right or wrong a matter of ethical perspective. Following the IUCN Beyond Enforcement Symposium in South Africa (February 2015), the no-nonsense IIED Brief "Beyond enforcement: engaging communities in tackling wildlife crime", made three bold statements: tougher law enforcement measures do not prevent poaching; militarised law enforcement can harm the communities who live alongside wildlife; and local communities must be allowed to benefit from conservation efforts as an equal partner in the fight against wildlife crime. Therefore, in the context of Sub-Sahara Africa, this paper briefly examines the role and impact of: wildlife law enforcement, affected communities, and the poachers, recommending alternate frameworks to prevent and counter poaching through integrated policing methodological approaches, further complemented by inclusive community-orientated partnerships and stewardship.