MEXICO CITY — As part of a collaboration agreement signed earlier this year, Humane World for Animals Mexico and the country’s Federal Environmental Attorney General hosted a national training workshop for approximately 60 law enforcement officials from across Mexico focused on preventing, investigating and prosecuting wildlife trafficking offenses.
Addressing a growing challenge
Wildlife trafficking represents a serious challenge in Mexico, driven by both domestic and international demand for wild animals as pets and animal-derived traditional medicine products and luxury goods. This illegal activity not only threatens numerous species but also undermines conservation efforts and harms local communities that depend on healthy ecosystems. Addressing this challenge is essential to preserving Mexico’s biodiversity and ensuring the protection of its wildlife.
Workshop focus areas
- During the workshop,participants received training on:
- Key concepts related to biodiversity, wildlife species and conservation
- Human-animal interactions, coexistence and the ecological importance of wildlife
- Global, regional and national wildlife trafficking trends and challenges
- International policy frameworks and multilateral agreements
- Legal frameworks on animal welfare, animal health and sanitary controls
Expert input and real-world cases
Anton Aguilar, executive director at Humane World for Animals Mexico, states: “These activities help strengthen and support the implementation of the national strategy to combat wildlife trafficking and reflect collaborative work with federal authorities to keep wildlife in the wild. In a megadiverse country like Mexico, wildlife protection is both urgent and complex.”
The workshop featured national and international experts who shared their experiences and presented case studies on the most trafficked species, including Shirley Ramírez, wildlife biologist of the National Commission for Biodiversity Management of the Ministry of the Environment and Energy of Costa Rica and Grettel Delgadillo, director, programs and policy, at Humane World Costa Rica.
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