Salvatore Amato is a recognized expert with over twenty-four years experience in the field of wildlife law enforcement. Mr. Amato served as the Special Agent in Charge of the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Northeast Region where he directed the enforcement efforts of special agents and wildlife inspectors in thirteen states. Previously, he served as the Special Agent in Charge of the Branch of Special Operation where he directed complex long-term covert operations and the intelligence functions of the Service. Currently, Mr. Amato works as a consultant providing advice and expertise to NGO’s, governmental agencies and businesses related to combating the exploitation and global trafficking of wildlife.
Federal Advisory Council on Wildlife Trafficking Named (via Annamiticus)
At an event held at the Whitehouse on September 9, 2013, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell named members of a new federal advisory council on wildlife trafficking. Formed as a result of a President’s Executive Order issued in July, the council…
INTERPOL Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Meeting 2013 (via Annamiticus)
The international wildlife law enforcement community will be gathering the week of November 4th, 2013, in Nairobi, Kenya, for the first meeting of the newly formed Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Committee. Hosted by INTERPOL and the United…
In July 2013, South Africa’s Department of Environmental Affairs released its “Rhino Issue Management” report, a 46-page attempt at making the case for trading in rhino horns. The document has since received an unflinchingly candid review by former…
102 Live Pangolins Confiscated in Thailand, Pangolin Scales Seized in India (via Annamiticus)
In a span of less than five days, two pangolin trafficking incidents were reported in two countries: On September 1, 2013, police in Khon Kaen seized 102 pangolins from a pickup truck owned by Pornchai Sangsila, a native of Samut Songkhram. This follows…
Read More »102 Live Pangolins Confiscated in Thailand, Pangolin Scales Seized in India
Historically wildlife trafficking has been a high reward, low risk enterprise for those willing to seek profit in the black market trade of contraband items. Combine limited risk of detection, extremely high profits, and small to non-existent penalties if caught, and not surprisingly, wildlife trafficking becomes a very attractive method of illicit gain. Compared to other transnational criminal activities wildlife trafficking has historically been considered a low priority by many law enforcement agencies. Crimes deemed low priority typically do not receive the same amount of effort in terms of manpower and resources as those viewed as a higher priority. Case in point is the extremely limited or non-existent use of specialized investigative techniques by many countries involved in combating wildlife trafficking.
Read More »Use of Specialized Techniques Essential in Addressing Wildlife Crimes