What we do
Bringing an end to wildlife crime really is a joint effort. Knowing how it works and why it’s dangerous is the first step to a united effort.
We’re here to put an end to wildlife crime.
We know that wildlife crime is a major problem – together we can beat it, but it’s going to take a combination of being informed, identifying criminals, and closing doors to those who would try and profit from the suffering of animals in future.
We’re here to put an end to wildlife crime, but how?
- Providing training to police across England & Wales to support effective enforcement of wildlife crimes. Read more about how we work with the police to tackle wildlife crime.
- Campaigning for more effective legislation, including making wildlife crimes notifiable when reported to the police. Currently, they’re piled into ‘miscellaneous’, and it’s impossible to know the true extent. Read more about our Make Wildlife Count campaign.
- Investigate allegations of wildlife crimes, such as badger baiting, deer hunting, and fox digging, to produce reports for police enforcement. Our wildlife crime reporting form makes it easy to report your concerns to us.
- Partner with other organisations to create strong coalitions and projects to combat wildlife persecution. Projects include Votes for Animals where we lobbied all 2024 general election candidates to pledge to crackdown on cruelty and be a voice for animals in Parliament if elected. And as part of the Time for Change Coalition a group of leading animal welfare charities, we’re calling for the law to be strengthened to end hunting with dogs for good.
- Provide financial grants, where appropriate, to support wildlife and the enforcement of wildlife crime in the UK
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Naturewatch Foundation, for such a comparatively small organisation, are certainly a big hitter among key partners. Naturewatch Foundation sits on several wildlife crime priority delivery groups; their input and dedication to supporting the police in reducing and investigating wildlife crime are not to be underestimated.”
Rural Crime Team, Cheshire Constabulary
Our campaign to Make Wildlife Count
Wildlife crime and persecution have no place in society; we all have a part to play in protecting both the voiceless and the fragile environment we share. Sadly, wildlife crime is on the rise.
In 2022, we asked for your support for our Make Wildlife Count campaign, urging the Home Office to make wildlife crimes notifiable. Currently, wildlife crime is non-recordable. Examples of other non-recordable offences include speeding, low-level antisocial behaviour and dropping litter. It is simply unacceptable that the law offers our wildlife little or no protection.
Over 2,000 of you backed our campaign, and while the previous government did not commit to change, Steve Reed MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, acknowledged at the Labour Party Conference in 2024 that “Nature is in trouble”. With nature on the agenda, now is the time to renew our efforts, apply pressure for change and Make Wildlife Count.
Why do we need to make wildlife count?
Correct recording of wildlife crime is essential for several reasons:
- Law enforcement: The ability to track local and national wildlife crimes, trends, and hotspots, enabling police forces to identify repeat offenders, develop intelligence and bring offenders to justice.
- Public protection: To highlight the links between animal and domestic abuse.
- Conservation: Accurate data allows for species-specific policing and the development of conservation strategies to identify those at risk from poaching and habitat destruction.
A busy start to 2025
With a new year starting, we’ve been busy getting our new Make Wildlife Count campaign underway. We await the results of the Freedom of Information requests we submitted to all UK police forces. With the return of data from all 43 police forces, it has become evident that forces have struggled to provide correct and accurate data. It is clear that police forces only record and possess a limited number of wildlife crime records.
The concerning state of the returning data highlights the importance of this campaign. With this new information, we can exert pressure on the government to implement the necessary legal changes to protect our wildlife better.
Making Wildlife Count – Our Goals
- We are asking the government to make sure key wildlife crimes can be dealt with robustly and that the correct legislation is fit for the purpose.
- Ensure police forces can record, investigate, and provide data on wildlife crime accurately, enabling resources to be deployed where they are needed most.
Making the changes – Our Approach
- We are calling on Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) nationwide to hold their respective police forces accountable. This means ensuring accurate recording, investigation, and reporting of wildlife crime data, which will help allocate resources where they are needed most. By committing to this accountability, PCCs will show their dedication to protecting wildlife within their jurisdictions.
- To better understand the needs of the police and rural crime teams on the ground, we await the results of a survey sent to all officers who deal with wildlife crime. This survey aims to identify the limitations and frustrations these officers encounter when handling and recording wildlife crime.
With this new information from our FOI requests and the police officers’ survey results, there is clear evidence to support why the law needs to be changed. Adding your voice to the campaign will make our voice louder; together, we can make this change happen.
