Saving trafficked wildlife through legal analysis and reform

Developed by IFAW in collaboration with Legal Atlas, the ILBP consist of a set of legal guidelines developed to support governments and law enforcement agencies in the proper care and management of live wild animals confiscated from traffickers. Theyestablish guidelines for government agencies managing confiscated wildlife throughout the various stages of custody, providing standards for care, transportation, and disposition of animals, as well as institutional governance, and procedures related to investigations and judicial processes.

The ILBP bring together legal and institutional principles based on international experience, with the goal of strengthening regulatory frameworks and ensuring more effective, coordinated, and humane responses following wildlife seizures.

The guidelines are informed by international recommendations from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), in addition to contributions from experts in environmental law, conservation, and animal welfare. and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), in addition to contributions from experts in environmental law, conservation, and animal welfare.

Crucially, countries are now supported in identifying and addressing gaps in their laws and regulations with the aim of improving outcomes for seized wildlife and improving the outcomes of prosecutions of the trafficking.

One of the most effective ways to improve outcomes for confiscated wildlife is surprisingly simple: compare what a country's laws say with what international best practices recommend.

This process, known as a legal gap analysis, identifies where laws already protect rescued animals well, where important safeguards are missing, and where reforms could help authorities respond more effectively. The goal isn't simply to strengthen legislation. It's to ensure that rescued animals receive appropriate care, evidence is preserved for prosecutions, and wildlife has the best possible chance of recovery and release.