Stop Poachers From Stealing Wildlife And Robbing Americans

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Sponsor: The Animal Rescue Site

Poaching devastates wildlife and robs Americans of billions each year—stronger penalties and tougher enforcement are urgently needed.

Stop Poachers From Stealing Wildlife And Robbing Americans

Across the United States, poaching has reached staggering levels. Nearly 96 percent of cases go undetected, allowing offenders to strip our land of wildlife with little chance of consequence1. These illegal killings rob the public of animals that belong to all of us and drain conservation budgets meant to protect them.

The scale of the crisis is devastating. Each year, undetected poaching costs more than $1.4 billion in lost restitution and fines2. The financial toll alone exceeds the revenue states collect from hunting licenses, a cornerstone of American conservation. When animals are stolen, so too is the funding that sustains habitat restoration, research, and public access to the outdoors.

Wildlife and Communities Pay the Price

Every illegally taken deer, elk, or turkey has a replacement value that can reach thousands of dollars. A trophy elk can carry a restitution cost as high as $30,0003. Yet many offenders walk away with fines that fail to reflect the gravity of their crime. These weak penalties offer little deterrence while wildlife populations and ecosystems absorb the damage.

The impacts ripple beyond conservation budgets. Legal, ethical hunters are often unfairly associated with poachers. Communities lose trust in wildlife management. And ecosystems lose vital species that keep natural balances intact. Poaching is not a victimless crime; it leaves behind suffering animals, damaged landscapes, and broken public trust4.

What Must Change

Experts agree that stronger processes and tougher penalties are critical. Elevating serious offenses to felony status, expanding the number of wildlife officers, and using modern surveillance tools would raise the risk for offenders. Training prosecutors and judges to treat wildlife crime as theft of public resources is another vital step5. These measures, paired with public reporting hotlines and community vigilance, would send a clear message: poaching will not be tolerated.

Take Action Now

Poachers are stealing from every American. Without action, millions of dollars and countless animals will continue to be lost each year. Compassion and accountability must guide our response. By pushing for stronger enforcement and meaningful penalties, we can protect wildlife, restore funding for conservation, and preserve the natural heritage that belongs to future generations.

Add your name today to call on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of Justice to strengthen penalties and processes against poaching.

More on this issue:

  1. Mark Heinz, Cowboy State Daily (13 Sep 2025), "Boone & Crockett Says Up To 96% Of Poachers Get Away With It."
  2. Sage Marshall, MeatEater (12 Sep 2025), "96% of Poaching Cases Go Undetected, New Report Says."
  3. Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life (11 Sep 2025), "Wildlife Poaching Is Costing Americans an Outrageous Amount of Money."
  4. Laura Lundquist, KPAX / Missoula Current (11 Sep 2025), "Study: Catching, Punishing More Wildlife Poachers Would Save Millions."
  5. Richard Simms, NewsChannel 9 (9 Sep 2025), "Study Reveals 96% of U.S. Poaching Goes Undetected, Costing $1.4 Billion Each Year."

The Petition

To the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division,

We, the undersigned, urge you to take immediate and decisive action to strengthen the fight against wildlife poaching in the United States. Recent research has revealed that nearly 96 percent of poaching incidents go undetected, costing our nation more than $1.4 billion annually in replacement costs, lost fines, and diminished conservation resources. These crimes are not victimless. Every illegally taken animal represents a theft from the American people and a blow to the ecological balance we all depend on.

The current penalties for poaching are too often inadequate to deter repeat offenders. Many walk away with little more than minor fines, while the damage to wildlife populations and ecosystems is irreversible. Without stronger processes and meaningful penalties, poaching will continue to drain resources meant to sustain conservation efforts, devastate biodiversity, and undermine the trust of ethical hunters and the public alike.

We ask the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of Justice to work in tandem to:

  • Elevate serious poaching offenses to felony status with proportional restitution.
  • Expand the number of federal wildlife officers and support state partners to improve detection.
  • Increase use of modern surveillance, covert operations, and anti-poaching patrols.
  • Ensure prosecutors and judges are trained to recognize the significance of wildlife crimes.
  • Develop consistent, nationwide restitution penalties that reflect the ecological and cultural value of poached species.

This issue demands not only enforcement but also compassion and humanity. Poaching is often brutal, leaving animals to suffer needlessly, disrupting ecosystems, and erasing the natural heritage that belongs to future generations. Treating wildlife with respect and ensuring their protection is a reflection of our shared values as a nation.

By strengthening penalties and closing the loopholes that allow poachers to escape justice, we can safeguard America’s wildlife, protect taxpayer investment in conservation, and preserve the natural world for generations to come. These actions will ensure a better future for all—humans, animals, and the ecosystems we share.

Sincerely,

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