PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Wildlife crime (such as poaching and poisoning) is a growing concern in Europe, representing the fourth largest criminal activity in the world. It is currently one of the factors that most affects the conservation of a large number of species, many of which have an unfavourable conservation status. There are at least 7,000 species threatened by poaching, poisoning and illegal trade in the world, many of which are now on the brink of extinction. The main drivers behind the increase in wildlife crime are: high profits, low detection rates and low risk of punishment/fines/remediation costs.
Three species have been selected as target species for the project because:
i) they are at high risk of extinction, ii) poaching represents one of the main threats to their survival and iii) methodologies, techniques and skills developed to contribute to improving their conservation status can easily be extended to other animal species of fish, birds and mammals that share their status and threats. The three target species are:
European eel (Anguilla anguilla) – critically endangered in the IUCN Red List.
Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) – Annex I of Birds Directive
Apennine brown bear (*Ursus arctos marsicanus) – priority species under Annex II of the Habitats Directive.
The following issues to be tackled have been identified:
- insufficient competency of supervisory and enforcement authorities,
- lack of or insufficient specialisation in environmental law enforcement and the judiciary,
- insufficient human and financial resources,
- lack of uniform data and data sharing,
- lack of public awareness,
- limited collaboration between authorities.
OBJECTIVES
The general objective of the project is to improve the conservation status of the three target species, significantly reducing the threat posed by wildlife crime.
The Fight4Wildlife project will fight wildlife crimes in Italy, and it will be replicated in other five EU countries: Cyprus, Slovenia, Croatia, Slovakia and North Macedonia. Pilot areas at particular risk for the target endangered species are Friuli Venezia Giulia for the European eel, Sicily for the Egyptian vulture and Abruzzo for the Apennine brown bear.
More specifically, LIFE Fight4Wildlife project aims to:
- Understand and improve the effectiveness of antipoaching operations.
- Strengthen operational methods and tools, including innovative ones, to identify, prevent and stop poaching.
- Raise awareness and participation of the community and stakeholders on the importance of preventing and combatting crimes against wildlife.
- Replicate best practices, implement protocols in other countries and boost catalytic potential.
RESULTS
The project is expected to deliver the following results:
- 60% reduction in poaching incidents targeting the European eel.
- 80% reduction in poaching incidents targeting the Egyptian Vulture.
- 90% reduction in poaching incidents targeting the Apennine brown bear.
This will be achieved through:
- Creation of a specialization course in wildlife crime in the Forest Carabinieri Training School.
- Enhanced capacity building through the creation of 10 operational teams (4/8 people per team) specialised in fighting wildlife crime.
- Enhanced capacity building through the creation of 10 dog-patrols (K9 units).
- Environmental training of 400 personnel units from the third year of the project.
- Environmental training of technicians from other management bodies: 200 units.
- Improved governance of enforcement by involving at least 200 people in enforcing activities.
- Creation of three National Governance Panels (“Fight4Eel", "Fight4Vulture" "Fight4Bear”) for the three target species.
- Creation of specific artificial intelligence (AI) tools to contribute up to 50% of the foreseen results.
- Upgrade of the national wildlife crime database with 8,000 records incorporating innovative analytical tools.
- Multi-targeted national public awareness campaign to raise awareness, promoting coexistence and reducing conflicts in local communities (audience reached by media relations activities: 3,000,000 contacts).
- Public and Stakeholders participation: setting of Living Labs with local stakeholders (1,500 people) to promote coexistence, a dedicated exhibition and "The Euro-Mediterranean Ranger Award".
- Public-private partnership: 20 Memoranda of Understanding signed with key stakeholders.
- 6,000 pupils (primary and secondary school), 4,450 students (high school) and 400 teachers reached by environment and education activities.
- Engagement of at least 10 journalists in press tours.
- Creation of a national whistleblowing platform for wildlife crime reports integrated with AI analysis (1,000 reports received).
- Production of at least 15 standardised replication protocols, a replication kit (including equipment) tailored for each country and a replication manual.
- Replication and transfer of good practices in five other EU countries: creation/equipment of at least 1 operational canine unit per country; training courses (one per country); 38 meetings with key national stakeholders and officers.
- Organisation of a Replication Workshop (at least 100 people).
- Organisation of three exploitation seminars on topics related to: environmental governance, scientific and societal issues (60 people) and of 15 meetings with EU-level organizations.
- Five Memoranda of Understanding signed for Advocacy purposes.