When it comes to the illegal wildlife trade, poaching for elephant ivory, rhino horns or tiger bones usually comes to mind. However, countless other species are overexploited and smuggled, from sharks to timber trees. In fact, tens of thousands of wild plants and animal species – living or dead – and their parts are sold internationally as food, pets, timber, leather, tourist ornaments and medicinal ingredients.

Nevertheless, not everyone is aware of the fact that the trade in wildlife isn’t always illicit, and is regulated by the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The Convention aims to ensure that the trade in specimens of wild animals and plants doesn’t threaten the survival of the species in the wild, and when this happens, the trade becomes illegal.

Photographers Against Wildlife Crime™

An international group of notorious, award-winning photographers and photojournalists is drawing attention to this subject with the most powerful tool they can muster – images. The result is the Photographers Against Wildlife Crime™ project, a unique book that will be published in May 2018 which includes the most iconic and powerful photos on the issue. As well as encouraging the public to speak up to urge an end to the illegal wildlife trade, the book celebrates the heroes who fight to protect animals falling victim to these crimes, from volunteers in rhino orphanages to all-female anti-poaching units. “Our images are the proof that photography matters,” says Britta Jaschinski, photographer and co-founder of the project. “Without photography the world’s conscience will wither”.

An aerial view of indigenous land in the region of Altamira in the Brazilian Amazon, cleared for illegal logging © Daniel Beltrá/Photographers against wildlife crime

At the Chimelong International Circus in China, this orangutan performs in costume three times a day, accompanied by a clown. Orangutans are critically endangered and babies traded for the pet trade or entertainment industry © Britta Jaschinski/Photographers against wildlife crime

A thresher shark caught in a gillnet in Mexico’s Sea of Cortez. Tens of millions of sharks die each year as victims of fishing by-catch or to satisfy the demand for shark fin soup © Brian Skerry/Photographers against wildlife crime

Approximately 4,000 pangolins defrosting after their seizure, hidden inside a shipping container at a port in Sumatra. Pangolin scales are used in traditional Chinese medicine and their flesh is regarded as a delicacy © Paul Hilton/Photographers against wildlife crime

A large bull elephant in Chitwan National Park sits with its leg chained. The 50-year-old beast is restrained as it has killed five mahouts (handlers) in its lifetime © Patrick Brown/Panos Pictures/Photographers against wildlife crime

On April 30, 2016, Kenya staged its biggest ever ivory burn – 105 tons at Nairobi National Park © Charlie Hamilton James/Photographers against wildlife crime

This orphaned baby gorilla on sale in a Cameroon bush meat market was traded by the photographer for a worthless ring and taken to a sanctuary at the other end of the country. It died a few months later © Karl Ammann/Photographers against wildlife crime

The smouldering remains of an area of Amazon rainforest cleared for cattle ranching © Charlie Hamilton James/Photographers against wildlife crime

Endangered Ring-tailed lemurs at Whenzou Zoo, in Zhejiang, China. Today, conservationist believe this species numbers as few as 2000 individuals in the wild due to habitat loss, poaching and hunting © Zheng Xiaoqun/Photographers against wildlife crime

Confiscated rhino hooves of two adults (male and female) and one calf. The US Fish and Wildlife Service stores 1.3 million seized items at a warehouse in Colorado © Britta Jaschinski/Photographers against wildlife crime

A volunteer with the NGO Care for Wild Africa comforts a baby rhino after undergoing treatment for injuries caused by hyenas. The rhino was orphaned after its mother was killed by poachers. She was luckier than most as many calves who see their mothers killed are also attacked by the poachers, using machetes to break their spines so they cannot run away © Brent Stirton/Photographers against wildlife crime

A member of an all female anti-poaching unit, set up in Zimbabwe. Every day, these women face the harsh reality of conservation at the front line, whilst being mothers (October 2017) © Adrian Steirn/Photographers against wildlife crime

Thandi, the female white rhino who lost her horn to poachers, has become a symbol of survival in the fight against rhino poaching © Neil Aldridge/Photographers against wildlife crime

A captive-bred Philippine eagle hand fed at The Philippine Eagle Center. Loss of habitat due to deforestation means these eagles are critically endangered. Some captive-bred birds have been released back into the wild © Klaus Nigge/Photographers against wildlife crime

Tony Fitzjohn, conservationist and protege of George Adamson, with Jipe, a lion he raised from orphaned cub to full adult in three years and then released back into the wild. Jipe successfully bred and raised cubs in Tsavo, Kenya, but was murdered by poachers soon after this photo was taken © Olly and Suzi/Photographers against wildlife crime

The mahout who has raised the orphan from South Africa has a trusted bond. The Elephants are raised to maturity and released as part of a long term study of rehabilitated animals. Abu Camp, Okavango, Botswana © Chris Packham/Photographers against wildlife crime

A gorilla in the hands of her carer as they drive to a new and larger sanctuary run for the care of orphaned or captive apes rescued by Ape Action Africa in Cameroon © Jo-Anne McArthur/Photographers against wildlife crime

A pair of young Bengal tigers in India's Ranthambhore National Park. Less than 4,000 tigers are left in the wild, a consequence of poaching to supply consumer demand for their body parts, mostly in China and Southeast Asia © Sudhir Shivaram/Photographers against wildlife crime

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