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INTERPOL recently executed the largest-ever edition of its annual series of coordinated of raids to dismantle criminal shipments and networks of trafficked and poached wildlife. Called Operation Thunder, some 30,000 live animals were seized in 4,620 raids across 134 countries, 30% more than last year. INTERPOL identified 1,100 suspects and issued 69 notices of criminal activity to participating nations’ police forces. Operation Thunder took place between September 15th and October 15th.

Wildlife poachers can now be located and arrested across the central African forests thanks to state-of-the-art AI listening technology. A network of microphones has been deployed across the rainforests to detect gunshots from illegal poaching of elephants and other animals, and American scientists are using AI to ensure the network can distinguish gunshots over the din of the jungle environment. The web of acoustic sensors was deployed in Gabon, Congo, and Cameroon, creating the possibility of real-time alerts to the sounds of gun-based poaching.

Durban - Criminals continue to be a major problem for Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife game reserves, according to Ezemvelo communications manager Musa Mntambo, who said poachers were breaking fences to catch bush meat, and criminals in neighbouring areas were stealing fence materials and poles. Conservation was given an added boost by Zulu King Misuzulu, who called on traditional leaders to take decisive action against those who endangered the natural heritage. Mntambo said they had engaged with community leaders to address the problems, but this did not always yield good results.

In recent years, pangolins have become the most trafficked animal in Namibia. According to national wildlife crime reports, 491 pangolins (152 live and 339 carcasses or skins) were confiscated and 640 arrests made in the last seven years (2015-2021, MEFT statistics). Pangolins are poached for their scales, body parts, and meat for traditional beliefs, medicine and food worldwide. In recent years there is rising pressure on the species primarily due to their scales being used in Traditional Chinese Medicine.