The UK's National Wildlife Crime Unit was granted another four years of funding on Tuesday following mounting pressure from animal protection charities about the potential ramifications should it close.
The unit was opened in 2006 and since then it has thwarted a staggering number of wildlife crimes, from tiger parts being used for jewellery to falcon eggs being sold on the black market.
Animal charities have welcomed today's news that the "exceptionally important" unit will stay open.
Claire Bass, Executive Director of Humane Society International/UK, said: "Given the government’s highly vocal commitment to protecting endangered wildlife internationally, it would have been absurd to withdraw funding from the NWCU, creating an open season for wildlife crime in our own backyard.
"The essential work of this unit deserves long-term, cross-party funding commitment, so that it does not labour under the threat of closure every few years."
Josh Kaile, Head of Public Affairs at World Animal Protection, said: "Today's announcement that the National Wildlife Crime Unit has secured 4 years of funding needed for its work is fantastic news for British wildlife.
"World Animal Protection has been leading the fight to save the National Wildlife Crime Unit for many months and it is clear the Government has now listened to the voice of the UK public. It is a victory for animal protection that resources have been secured long-term to fight wildlife crime both home and abroad."
Here we look at eight of the unit's biggest successes:
UK National Wildlife Crime Unit successes
Man convicted of possessing monkey heads, hands and bestiality images (01 of08)
Open Image ModalOperation Cobra 3(02 of08)
Open Image ModalLast year, the UK's National Wildlife Crime Unit worked alongside international agencies to secure the arrest of 139 people and make more than 247 seizures, including elephant ivory, medicinal plants, rhino horns, pangolins, rosewood, tortoises and many other plant and animal specimens.
The NWCU and UK Border Force won the WWF sponsored 2015 Wildlife Crime Operation of the Year Award for their outstanding contribution towards Operation Cobra 3.
Martin Sims, Head of National Wildlife Crime Unit, said: “This operation has also identified how significant the United Kingdom is in the illegal wildlife trade.
“Now this has been exposed, it is for us within the UK Border Force and UK Policing to continue the battle in combating this type of crime.”
Tiger parts conviction(03 of08)
Open Image ModalTaxidermy dealer jailed(04 of08)
Open Image ModalSmugglers try to sneak 13 rare iguanas worth £260,000 into the UK(05 of08)
Open Image ModalIn April 2014, two women were jailed after trying to smuggle 13 rare iguanas worth £260,000 into the UK.
Romanian students Angla-Alina Bita and Vitora-Oliva Bucsa were detained at Heathrow Airport after getting off a flight from the Bahamas with the San Salvador Iguanas.
The women were then planning on travelling to Germany to sell the reptiles. Twelve of the iguanas survived.
The women were sentenced to a year in jail.
(credit:UK Border Force)
Auction house fined £3,200(06 of08)
Open Image ModalInternational falconer smuggler jailed (07 of08)
Open Image ModalSerial offender Jeffrey Lendrum was sentenced to four and a half years in a Brazilian prison in January 2016 after he was found to be in possession of an incubator containing the eggs of a rare breed of falcon.
Officials estimated that the eggs could have fetched up to $80,000 (USD) on the black market. Only one of the chicks survived
In May 2010, Lendrum was detained at Birmingham Airport when he was in possession of 14 Peregrine eggs strapped to his body as he tried to board a plane bound for Dubai.
Officers from West Midlands Police and the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit had discovered a car in the long-stay car park that contained an incubator and climbing equipment.
Later that year he was sentenced 30 months in prison, but this was later reduced to 18 months on appeal. On that occasion the court heard that Lendrum stood to profit by up to £70,000.
Andy McWilliam, a specialist investigator from the NWCU who dealt with Lendrum in 2010, said: “Lendrum is an extremely resourceful character.
“His planning and preparation is meticulous and he leaves little to chance. I cannot praise the authorities enough for this capture.
“He is a high level international wildlife smuggler and he is a serious threat to falcons around the globe.”
(credit:West Midlands Police/PA Archive)
Zoo's owner convicted of allowing animals to escape(08 of08)
Open Image ModalThe owner of South Lakes Wild Animal Park Ltd was convicted in November 2014 of allowing free flying Sacred Ibis to roam freely, flying in and out of the park.
District Judge Daniel Chalk said that he found it “inconceivable” that owner David Gill was not aware the birds were flying in and out of the park.
The judge said that there was a serious risk to the British Countryside if the birds had begun to colonise. The park was fined £5,000 plus £370 and Gill was fined £2,000 plus £870 costs.
Andy McWilliam, from NWCU who assisted Cumbria Police on the inquiry, said: “The threat to our natural wildlife from Sacred Ibis is very really and they could inflict some serious damage on the likes of ground nesting birds.
“It is imperative that people keeping any potentially invasive species ensure that they are secure and there is no risk of escape. Having free flying Sacred Ibis housed in open enclosures was simply unacceptable.”
(credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Defra and the Home Office will each provide the NWCU with funding of £136,000 a year for the next four financial years.
Defra will provide an additonal (up to) £29,000 a year over the next four years for specific work to tackle wildlife crime conducted online, as a developing area of global criminal activity.