The Coalition Against Wildlife Trafficking (CAWT) will host a congress event showcasing the work of CAWT members and other anti-wildlife trafficking and anti-poaching organisations at the IUCN World Parks Congress in Sydney, Australia during November 2014.

Poaching from Parks – combating wildlife crime in protected areas
Monday, 17 November 2014
8:00 pm – 9:30 pm

The congress event will involve a market-style set up of display booths where exhibitors will share their international experience in combating wildlife crime within the global network of protected areas. Technologies, tools and information used in the fight against wildlife crime will be on display and the event will provide an excellent opportunity for those working to fight wildlife crime to learn from one another and develop wider networks.

The congress event is open to all registered participants of the IUCN World Parks Congress 2014. For more information about the event, or if your organisation is interested in hosting an exhibition booth, please contact Australia as the current chair of CAWT at: [email protected].

Background
The escalation in wildlife poaching, particularly by organised criminal groups, is an unprecedented challenge for park managers and enforcement officers around the world. Species are being driven to extinction, and last year, at least 60 park rangers were murdered by poachers, with many more injured. Poachers are becoming more brazen in their attempts to obtain and smuggle wildlife from parks and protected areas. They are also becoming better equipped—with GPS tracking devices, high-calibre weapons, helicopters and night vision—and more violent in their pursuit of profits.

Poaching from parks can only be addressed effectively through collaboration of people involved in combating wildlife trafficking and the protection and management of protected areas. The ‘Poaching from Parks’ congress event is part of CAWT’s global agenda to build and strengthen international collaboration to tackle wildlife crime.