• Regional Counter Wildlife Trafficking Partner Coordination Meeting Report

    The Regional Counter Wildlife Trafficking Partner Coordination Meeting took place on January 12, 2023. Outcomes included a plan for the year ahead that provides a framework for enhanced coordination, a long-term vision for a coordination platform to advance CWT efforts, and the identification of key tools to support ongoing collaboration.


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    USAID, Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), and WildAid launched the "Only Elephants Wear Ivory Best" campaign to reduce the use and purchase of jewelry and accessories made from elephant ivory. The campaign features Cindy Sirinya Bishop, a Thai actress and supermodel, and Master Tossaporn Sritula, a renowned Thai astrology and feng shui expert, as wildlife demand reduction champions.

  • Rhinos
  • Research Studies

    USAID RDW conducted three interrelated assessments to aid in planning future program directions and activities. The Political Economy Analysis, Civil Society and Social Inclusion Assessment, and One Health Landscape Assessment aim to provide insight into emerging opportunities to build upon biodiversity conservation work in the region.

  • Tiger
  • elephants
  • rescued pangolins in quarantine center-usaid-flickr
 

USAID Reducing Demand for Wildlife

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), working closely with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), addressed wildlife trafficking as a transnational crime through the USAID Reducing Demand for Wildlife (RDW) activity. The activity worked to reduce consumer demand for wildlife parts and products, strengthen law enforcement skills, enhance policy, legislation and jurisprudence and improve regional action to reduce wildlife crime in Southeast Asia and China.

Elephant ivory, rhino horn, tiger as well as pangolins are among the top items illegally traded worldwide, and especially in Southeast Asia and China. Transcontinental organized wildlife crime decimates wildlife populations, destroying opportunities for local community wildlife-based livelihoods, and does not contribute to national revenues. Wildlife trafficking undermines the rule of law, supports corruption and money laundering, facilitates spread of zoonotic diseases, and has links to terrorism.

USAID RDW

Campaign Highlight Videos

Beyond raising public awareness, USAID Reducing Demand for Wildlife campaigns systematically used social and behavior change communication (SBCC) to reduce the demand for wildlife products in China, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Only Elephants Wear Ivory Best Campaign Video with Cindy Bishop

USAID, Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) and WildAid launched the “Only Elephants Wear Ivory Best” campaign in September 2022 to reduce the use and purchase of jewelry and accessories made from elephant ivory among women.

More information

News

Tools

Resources

  • Feb 22, 2023 · File
    Wildlife Free Traveler Thailand Component Campaign Report
    The Wildlife Free Traveler campaign in Thailand aimed to reduce purchases of ivory products among Chinese and other travelers visiting Thailand.
  • Feb 22, 2023 · File
    Digital Deterrence Campaign Report
    The Digital Deterrence campaign used digital marketing techniques to prevent the purchase of illegal wildlife products online and reduce demand in Thailand.
  • Feb 21, 2023 · File
    No Ivory No Tiger Amulets Campaign Report
    The No Ivory No Tiger Amulets (NINT) campaign aimed to reduce demand for ivory and tiger products driven by spiritual beliefs that these products bring good luck and protect the user from harm.