Our Mission

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s International Affairs Program coordinates domestic and international efforts to protect, restore, and enhance the world’s diverse wildlife and their habitats with a focus on species of international concern. We envision a world where all people value nature and conserve living resources for the well-being of life on Earth.

Our History

Wildlife trafficking has become a multibillion-dollar transnational crime, increasingly run by organized crime syndicates that are well structured, often violent, and capable of moving large volumes of poached wildlife and wildlife products. The CWT Program was created in 2017 with the recognition that the scale and scope of the illegal wildlife trade was increasing.

Illegal wildlife products confiscated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Office of Law Enforcement and housed at our National Wildlife Property Repository

Through the CWT Program, we provide financial and technical assistance to support on-the-ground conservation actions for species primarily threatened by illegal trade and for building capacity among emerging conservation leaders working on these issues. To date, we have supported 55 field partners in more than 40 countries through this Program, advancing cutting-edge work such as piloting the use of African giant pouched rats to detect pangolin scales and hardwoods in shipping containers, and mapping emerging supply chains for lion bone.