Wildlife crime (primarily dealing in illegal species or the products made from them) is said to be worth around £5bn per year (making it second only to the profits from illegal drugs). Much of the action against this type of crime has been coordinated in the UK by a team of four (with 2 'civilian' staff) that make up the well-respected Wildlife Crime Unit at Scotland Yard as detailed in a Guardian story on 24th May (http://environment.guardian.co.uk/conservation/story/0,,2086742,00.html). The team apparently costs around £40,000 per year. In the last ten years, it has reportedly seized more than 30,000 products made from endangered species and has proved highly effective in tracing the smugglers and sellers involved in this trade (that may well threaten the survival of some species). In spite of this, the Yard apparently wants to 'axe' the civilian staff of the unit if 'sponsorship' for their retention is not forthcoming (there are shades of a similar proposal for the Arts and Antiques Squad in this, a suggestion that led to not a single financial contribution by insurers or auction houses). Bodies one might initially expect to consider providing sponsorship for the Wildlife Crime Unit (e.g. WWF and IFAW) clearly rate the unit highly and feel that the threat to axe or reduce it sends out a poor message. They do not feel, however, that they as NGOs should pick up this financial burden. The Metropolitan Police apparently want to make savings so that more of the limited budget can be spent on neighbourhood policing ('the bobby on the beat') and anti-terrorism. There are said to be, however, links between some more serious forms of wildlife crime and organised criminality. The Mayor of London (and his newts?) are concerned and will discuss the issue at his next meeting with the Metropolitan Police Commissioner. The proposed cut appears both short-sighted and likely to generate tiny amounts of extra finance.
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