Guidelines for the management of confiscated, live organisms

Illegal trade in wildlife has increased dramatically over the past decade; however, so have enforcement efforts aimed at mitigating this threat. Successful enforcement often involves the seizure and confiscation of wild species from diverse taxa of plants, animals and fungi. These confiscations may be parts of non-living specimens in the form of artefacts, food or medicinal products but, in many cases, they involve live individuals. With increasingly frequent confiscations and often high numbers of individuals involved, it is important that best practice management approaches are followed to maximise the conservation role and the individual welfare of these plants and animals. These Guidelines aim to provide guidance on this best practice.