Reducing Opportunities for Unlawful Transport of Endangered Species Partnership (ROUTES Partnership)

Disrupt wildlife trafficking activities by reducing the use of legal transportation supply chains

The Reducing Opportunities for Unlawful Transport of Endangered Species Partnership (ROUTES Partnership) was in initiaitve in the transport and logistics sector with the aim to collectively develop ways to disrupt wildlife trafficking activities by reducing the use of legal transportation supply chains.

ROUTES main objectives were to:

• Improve the data and analytics on wildlife trafficking for evidence-based action;
• Engage corporate leadership to collaborate to combat wildlife trafficking;
• Strengthen the capacity of transport personnel to assist enforcement to combat wildlife trafficking;
• Integrate wildlife trafficking policies and protocols into industry standards;
• Strengthen collaboration between businesses and law enforcement.

ROUTES brought together transport and logistics companies, government agencies, development groups, law enforcement, conservation organisations, academia and donors. Iis one of several industry-focused initiatives coordinated and supported by TRAFFIC, a non-profit organisation and joint programme of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The initiative was funded by USAID between 2015-2021.

ROUTES was an innovative and transformational partnership that supported the transport sector by providing targeted data analytics, empowering personnel with the necessary tools and information to be a part of the solution, raising awareness among clients and staff, and ultimately embedding wildlife trafficking solutions within existing company policies. The resources, tools and alliances created through ROUTES still continue to form a key element of the concerted international response to addressing wildlife poaching and associated criminal activities worldwide.

Having achieved six impressive years of impact from 2015-2021, including a strengthened regulatory environment, integration of training and policies by many aviation stakeholders and establishment of systems to support and recognise action, its legacy continues to shape the concerted international response to addressing wildlife poaching and associated criminal activities worldwide.