Founder Ofir Drori said the eight-NGO network has jailed more than 3,000 traffickers in 20 years across countries including Cameroon, Senegal, Uganda, Congo, Guinea, Ivory Coast and Togo.
He said investigations linked traffickers to drugs, arms, human trafficking, rebel groups and radicalisation, while bribery attempts appeared in 85% of field arrests and 80% of court cases.
Drori warned shrinking conservation funding could force cuts or closures in key countries, weakening deterrence and increasing risks to elephants, great apes, lions and other threatened species.
As a proven anti-trafficking network faces collapse, who will fill the void in Africa's escalating wildlife wars?
Wildlife trafficking now funds terror and rebel groups. Why is this global security threat still treated as a conservation issue?
Battling Corruption and Funding Cuts: The EAGLE Network’s Strategy to Dismantle African Wildlife Trafficking in 2026
Overview
In 2026, the EAGLE Network achieved major successes by convicting a prominent ivory trafficking ring in Côte d’Ivoire and arresting traffickers and corrupt military personnel involved in leopard skin trade in Cameroon. These high-impact operations, supported by a strategic Four-Pillar Approach focusing on investigations, legal action, and media exposure, pressured traffickers to adapt their tactics. The Network also strengthened cross-border cooperation through a key partnership with Guinea’s Customs Directorate. Despite these gains, pervasive corruption fueled by the $20 billion illegal wildlife trade remains a critical barrier, undermining enforcement and judicial processes. Meanwhile, a severe funding crisis threatens to reduce operational capacity, risking a surge in trafficking and empowering criminal groups, prompting efforts to diversify funding and enhance transparency.