The Investigator

Hi, I work in the Investigation and Intelligence team at World Animal Protection.
'What's your name?' I hear you ask. For the safety and security of our staff I need to keep my identity a secret. Our work can take place in some potentially risky situations.
My posts will tell you about some of our undercover investigations as they are taking place, and how our ongoing international work with enforcement agencies is helping to move the world to protect animals.
Our team operates across a range of environments, exposing and documenting animal cruelty, gathering intelligence about how animal welfare is impacted, and what we could do to prevent this and protect animals. I may be undercover one day documenting illegal activity in a wildlife market, and meeting with government agencies about cross-border cooperation the next.
Investigating the gritty truth behind the Amazon’s wildlife selfie trade
Wild animals are increasingly being exploited for selfies in Peru. We went undercover to see first-hand the shocking suffering these animals endure
Our undercover investigator reveals the secret suffering of caged meat chickens
Exposing the suffering endured by caged meat chickens is not easy. Gaining access takes lots of planning and persuasion. Once inside, we were horrified by what...
Breaking barriers and sharing intelligence to fight eco-crime
We presented ‘The implications of animal protection for the financial sector’ at one of the largest global gatherings of enforcement, government, legal and...
How the tourism industry exploits wild animals for profit
I’ve had the privilege and pleasure of encountering lions and tigers in the wild, and it’s hard not be awed and humbled by such an experience.
Witnessing wildlife cruelty at an orangutan show
I’ve seen some terrible things during my time in the investigations team – but the orangutan ‘entertainment’ at this major zoo in Southeast Asia was one of the...