Naturewatch Foundation, a leading animal welfare charity, has launched a new report titled “Policing Wildlife Crime: Make Wildlife Count” at the Wild Summit 2025. The report highlights the urgent need for government and police forces to take action against wildlife crime across England and Wales.
According to the report, wildlife crime is being systematically overlooked, under-recorded, and inadequately addressed, leaving thousands of wild animals unprotected. The findings are based on Freedom of Information responses from 33 police forces and a survey of 128 frontline officers and call handlers.
The report reveals that over 4,400 wildlife crime incidents were recorded between August 2023 and October 2024, but the actual number is believed to be much higher due to poor and inconsistent recording practices. In addition, 78% of recorded cases resulted in ‘No Further Action’, and only 16% of officers surveyed had experience with wildlife or animal welfare prosecutions.
The report also includes an open letter to DEFRA, the Minister for Policing, and all Chief Constables and PCCs, calling for urgent reform. Jim Clark, Wildlife Crime Campaign Manager at Naturewatch Foundation, stated that the report highlights a disturbing pattern where wildlife crime is consistently treated as a low priority. He also emphasized the need for urgent reform and making wildlife crime notifiable to enable better data collection, trend monitoring, and stronger enforcement.
Naturewatch Foundation is also calling for a commitment from DEFRA to review and strengthen wildlife protection legislation, establishment of a standardized, mandatory wildlife crime recording framework, and clear prioritization of wildlife crime by Police Forces. The charity also urges investment in specialist training and resources for frontline officers and adoption of standardized crime recording practices for consistent and transparent data.
With the Wild Summit bringing together stakeholders from various sectors, Naturewatch Foundation hopes that this report will spark urgent conversations and lead to stronger protection for UK’s wildlife. As Jim Clark concludes, “If we are serious about tackling the biodiversity crisis and building a society that respects all life, wildlife crime must be taken seriously at every level of policing and government.”
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