FOREWORD

Summary

Today's wildlife crime threatens the survival of endangered and vulnerable species in many African countries. Evidence documented by WildlifeDirect—a Kenyan NGO founded in 2004—shows that legal penalties designed to deter such crimes have had little impact on poachers and traffickers; worse, poor law enforcement and corruption among government officials and security forces facilitate wildlife crime and trafficking.

In a chapter on the poaching of elephants and rhinos, the Small Arms Survey 2015: Weapons and the World offers valuable analysis of the relative roles of different actors, including non-state armed groups, criminal networks, and commercial poachers, in wildlife crime. The research reveals that while poachers are becoming increasingly militarized, law enforcement units have yet to adopt a systematic approach to recording and tracing firearms and ammunition found at poaching sites—steps that increase the likelihood of identifying poachers, the sources of their guns, and broader trafficking networks. These findings are especially valuable to broader efforts to tackle the illegal killing of wildlife.

The volume's chapter on armed violence around resource extraction sites is also pertinent to our work. As the Survey observes, the establishment of mining sites tends to be accompanied by the rapid urbanization of adjacent communities, growing inequalities, and shortfalls in service delivery—all of which attract a variety of armed actors and increase the pressure on natural habitats and wildlife.

I commend the Small Arms Survey 2015: Weapons and the World for the many insights it offers into the relationship between firearms and wildlife crime, as well as other pertinent small arms issues. I have little doubt that this volume will be of great interest to those working to protect our natural heritage, as well as others involved in arms control and the promotion of peace and security.