They Kill at Least One Tiger Every Week
They Kill at Least One Tiger Every Week. Now We Know Who "They" Are.
Big Cat Rescuers, I need you to read this carefully — because what I'm about to share with you is one of the most disturbing and important wildlife crime investigations I've seen in years.
Earth League International (ELI) — a nonprofit made up of former intelligence, law enforcement, and security professionals who go undercover inside criminal networks — has just released the findings of Operation SANDOKAN. It is the most extensive undercover investigation into wildlife trafficking ever conducted in Cambodia, and what they found is staggering.
These networks kill at least one tiger every week.
Let that sink in.
What Operation SANDOKAN uncovered
For over a year, ELI's undercover investigators embedded themselves directly inside wildlife trafficking networks operating in Cambodia, with additional intelligence gathering in Laos and across the broader Lower Mekong region. They weren't reading about these criminals from a distance — they were sitting across from them, gathering firsthand information.
What they found were some of the largest trafficking networks ELI has ever encountered — networks that trade tigers, ivory, rhino horns, pangolins, and dozens of other species at both wholesale and retail levels. These aren't small-time poachers. They operate through physical shops and online platforms, with supply chains stretching across Africa, Europe, Russia, and South Asia.
And they are protected.
The investigation uncovered deep collusion between Chinese criminal networks and Cambodian political and business elites. Traffickers openly named their protectors — not out of carelessness, but as a deliberate show of strength. This is the reality of wildlife crime at the highest levels: it isn't happening in the shadows despite the authorities. In many cases, it's happening because of them.
Scam compounds as wildlife trafficking hubs
One of the most alarming — and previously underreported — findings in the Operation SANDOKAN report is the role of scam compounds as major drivers of the illegal wildlife trade. These compounds, notorious for enslaving people in cyber fraud operations, are apparently also functioning as nodes in wildlife trafficking networks. The convergence of these crimes is not accidental. Organized crime diversifies. Where there is corruption, impunity, and infrastructure for one type of crime, other crimes flourish alongside it.
Why this matters for big cats specifically
Tigers are among the most endangered big cats on the planet, and demand for their parts — bones, skins, teeth — continues to drive poaching across Asia. When the report tells us these networks are killing at least one tiger every week, that is not an abstraction. Every single one of those tigers is an individual animal, part of a wild population that cannot absorb those losses and survive.
At Big Cat Rescue, we have spent decades fighting the exotic cat trade here in the United States, and we know that the crisis at home doesn't exist in a vacuum. The same forces that fuel demand for captive tigers in America are connected to the global networks that poach wild tigers in Asia. It is all one web.
What ELI is doing about it
ELI's approach is unique and, I believe, essential. They don't just document — they generate actionable intelligence and share it with relevant U.S. government agencies and international enforcement partners to support real investigations. Sensitive findings were deliberately withheld from the public version of this report to protect ongoing operations. That discipline matters. This is serious, professional work.
They have also released a short film produced with Wildlight that offers a rare and sobering look at what it actually takes to conduct intelligence operations inside these criminal networks. I encourage you to watch it.
You can access the full Operation SANDOKAN report at earthleagueinternational.org/operation-sandokan-report.
What you can do
Share this post. Talk about it. The traffickers operating in the Lower Mekong are counting on the fact that most people in the world have no idea this is happening at this scale. Every person who reads this report — or even just understands that organized criminal networks with political protection are killing a tiger every week — is one more person who can demand better from their government, their supply chains, and the world.
These animals are depending on us to be loud.
Carole Baskin, Founder and CEO of Big Cat RescueBigCatRescue.org
Source: Earth League International — Operation SANDOKAN: Unmasking the Lower Mekong's Biggest Wildlife Traffickers, June 2026. earthleagueinternational.org/operation-sandokan-report/
The One-Word Shift Gutting the Endangered Species Act: Why Habitat Protection is Under Fire
For over 50 years, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) has served as America’s most powerful shield against extinction, saving 99% of protected species from disappearing. However, a silent regulatory shift announced on July 10, 2026, seeks to dismantle this legacy by redefining a single word: "harm"
The June 2026 AdvoCat Newsletter from Big Cat Rescue covers the latest in wild cat conservation: Stanford research on mountain lions reshaping suburban ecosystems, Kyrgyzstan's new 2-million-acre snow leopard corridor, the first documented sand cats in Libya, Bengal tiger reintroduction plans for Cambodia, and the alarming pace of tiger poaching across Asia. Stay informed and take action for wild cats worldwide.
The 2024-25 Annual Report commemorates the 30th anniversary of The Corbett Foundation (TCF), an Indian non-profit established in 1994 to foster human-wildlife coexistence. The document highlights TCF’s expansion from its origins in Uttarakhand to nine distinct landscapes across seven states, focusing on the protection of threatened species like tigers, elephants, and vultures. Key initiatives detailed include the Livestock Compensation Programme, which prevents retaliatory killings, and extensive habitat restoration efforts that have revived thousands of hectares of forests and grasslands. Beyond ecology, the foundation integrates community well-being through rural medical outreach, sustainable livelihood training, and the distribution of green energy solutions. By combining scientific research with grassroots engagement, TCF aims to secure India’s natural heritage while improving the lives of people residing near protected wilderness areas. Collaborative partnerships with government agencies and international conservation bodies remain central to their mission of balancing environmental integrity with social development.
Discover how Big Cat Rescue is partnering with Proyecto AAk Mahahual to protect wild jaguars and ocelots through community coexistence. Read more!
Cambodia lost its wild tigers to poaching and was declared tiger free in 2016. Now a plan to reintroduce Bengal tigers from India into the Cardamom Mountains is moving forward. Conservation scientists warn that prey density may be too low, that snaring and poaching remain rampant, that logging and five new hydropower dams threaten the habitat, and that local and Indigenous communities have not been properly consulted. Learn what the tiger reintroduction plan means for wild tigers, for the Cardamom rainforest, and for the people who depend on it, and why getting it right matters for big cat conservation.
New BBC Earth footage shows two wild Bengal tigers, Goma and Jugini, co-parenting and babysitting each other's cubs, a behavior long thought impossible for these solitary big cats. Learn what wildlife researchers discovered on Tiger Island, why tiger mothers may share parenting to protect cubs from adult males, and how the rare 2006 story of male tiger T-25 raising orphaned cubs in Ranthambore National Park fits the pattern. Big Cat Rescue explains what this rare cooperative behavior reveals about tiger intelligence, social flexibility, and why these endangered cats deserve protection.
The Icarus satellite system, built by the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, is creating an Internet of Animals. Tiny tags track location, movement, heart rate, and body temperature, then send the data to satellites in low Earth orbit. Scientists are training algorithms to recognize the panic patterns animals show when poachers approach, turning tagged herds into a live early warning network. For wild cats like cheetahs, leopards, tigers, lions, and Florida panthers and bobcats, this could mean protection across vast and remote landscapes that no single ranger could ever watch. Learn how Big Cat Rescue is following the Icarus project and how satellite tracking could change the future of wild cat conservation.
The provided text outlines the organizational goals and operations of Freeland, a non-profit entity dedicated to ending the illegal trade of humans and wildlife. By utilizing a specialized team of law enforcement and technical experts, the group actively disrupts criminal networks while assisting governments and businesses in creating prevention strategies. Their comprehensive approach includes training officers, conducting community patrols, and fostering behavioral changes through public education and awareness campaigns. Beyond enforcement, the organization focuses on environmental restoration and the rehabilitation of animals to ensure the long-term health of global ecosystems. Ultimately, the source serves as an overview of Freeland’s global impact and its ongoing mission to build a world free from exploitation and slavery.
The Fall of Animalandia Maya: Playa del Carmen Shutdown In May 2026, Mexican law enforcement conducted a major raid on Animalandia Maya, a controversial tourist site in Playa del Carmen known for offering photos with exotic wildlife. The operation resulted in the arrest of the owner and several employees, as well as the seizure of tigers, lions, and monkeys that were allegedly being exploited. This intervention followed years of public outcry and pressure from animal welfare organizations regarding the suspected sedation and mistreatment of the animals. While the business has successfully used legal loopholes to reopen after past closures, the scale of this coordinated police action suggests a permanent shutdown. The incident highlights a significant victory for activists fighting against the commercial use of endangered species in the Riviera Maya.
Moreangels Mbizah: Pioneering Human-Wildlife Coexistence in Zimbabwe
Biologist Moreangels Mbizah founded Wildlife Conservation Action in Zimbabwe to address the tragic consequences of human-wildlife conflict. Her mission shifted after witnessing a lion attack on a young child, leading her to realize that protecting nature requires supporting the local communities living alongside it. The organization utilizes innovative tools like GPS tracking and mobile bomas—opaque enclosures that prevent predators from seeing and attacking livestock. These community-led strategies have successfully reduced lethal encounters by up to 98% in targeted regions, safeguarding both vulnerable lion populations and the livelihoods of rural villagers. Additionally, Mbizah serves as a pioneer for African women in the field by providing mentorship and outreach to ensure a more inclusive future for conservation efforts. Through this holistic approach, she demonstrates that the survival of apex predators is inextricably linked to the security of the people who share their habitat.
A recent camera trap sighting of a male jaguar at an elevation of 2,200 meters in Honduras has sparked optimism among conservationists. This rare encounter in the Sierra del Merendón mountains is significant because these big cats typically reside in lower habitats, suggesting they are using high-altitude corridors to travel between fragmented landscapes. While the species faces ongoing threats from deforestation, poaching, and climate change, this discovery indicates that protected areas and anti-poaching efforts may be facilitating their return to historical territories. Global and local initiatives like the Jaguar 2030 Roadmap aim to further secure these vital migratory paths to ensure the predator's long-term survival. Ultimately, the presence of this "cloud jaguar" reaffirms the resilience of the species and the importance of maintaining ecological connectivity across Central America.
Older and Wiser: The Vital Role of Animal Elders
Recent research emphasizes that older animals are vital for the survival of wildlife populations because they possess accumulated knowledge and specialized skills. These elders serve as essential leaders who guide their groups toward resources and help maintain social stability among younger individuals. Beyond their wisdom, aging members often provide enhanced reproductive success and possess stronger immune systems developed over time. Traditional conservation efforts frequently focus on total population counts, yet this source argues that protecting the age structure is just as critical. The loss of these senior animals through human activities can result in a profound disappearance of survival strategies that simple numbers cannot replace.
The provided report from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime exposes how Facebook has become the primary global infrastructure for the illegal wildlife trade. Data collected by the Global Monitoring System reveals that nearly 75% of illicit wildlife advertisements appear on the platform, frequently involving critically endangered species protected by international law. The authors argue that algorithmic recommendations and thematic groups actively facilitate these criminal networks, often surfacing illegal content to users without a search. Despite public pledges to combat trafficking, Meta's internal enforcement and voluntary self-regulation are described as largely ineffective and plagued by multilingual moderation failures. To address this biodiversity crisis, the report calls for international regulatory coordination and the imposition of legal duties on social media companies to end platform-scale exploitation.
These sources examine the genetic crisis facing isolated wild cat populations, where human-driven habitat fragmentation forces inbreeding and triggers a decline in biological fitness. Researchers identify morphological abnormalities, such as kinked tails and thoracic cowlicks, as visible biomarkers of a deeper "extinction vortex" that includes heart defects and reproductive failure. While the Florida panther serves as a primary case study for these issues, the texts document similar patterns of genomic decay in California mountain lions, European wildcats, ocelots, jaguarundi, Andean cats, cheetahs and Asiatic lions. Conservationists highlight the 1995 genetic restoration project in Florida—which used Texas pumas to diversify the gene pool—as a successful model for reversing these trends. Ultimately, the literature advocates for wildlife crossings and habitat corridors to restore natural gene flow and ensure the long-term survival of apex predators.
This report, titled Law of the Tiger, provides a comprehensive 2025 analysis of the legal frameworks governing tiger trafficking across twelve range states. It evaluates how national laws address critical issues such as interagency enforcement, mandatory confiscation, and the regulation of captive breeding facilities. The authors identify significant legal gaps regarding digital marketplaces, the status of hybrid tigers, and the management of confiscated stockpiles. To combat the transnational organized crime of wildlife trade, the document advocates for standardized definitions, enhanced investigative powers for frontline officers, and the integration of anti-money laundering tools. Ultimately, the publication serves as a guide for governments to harmonize their criminal justice responses and strengthen protections for wild tiger populations.
This report highlights the extreme dangers and psychological trauma experienced by wildlife rangers, who serve as the primary defense for global biodiversity. Recent violent attacks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo underscore a growing trend where these workers face armed militias and organized crime with insufficient institutional support. Beyond physical threats, the text emphasizes that mental health neglect leads to poor decision-making and high staff turnover, which ultimately compromises conservation goals. While some organizations are beginning to offer counseling and family aid, these support systems remain dangerously underdeveloped compared to other high-risk professions. Experts argue that the international community must prioritize ranger wellbeing to ensure the long-term sustainability of protected natural areas.
This article describes a monumental conservation initiative in Kazakhstan aimed at restoring the tiger population after more than seven decades of absence. To prepare for the predators’ arrival, the government and international partners have launched a massive reforestation project, planting tens of thousands of trees to create a sustainable habitat in the South Balkhash region. While two captive Amur tigers are already being used for breeding, the program anticipates the arrival of wild tigers from Russia by 2026. The strategy also includes efforts to rebuild prey populations and implement safety measures to ensure peaceful coexistence with local communities. This multifaceted approach seeks to revive a functioning ecosystem by reintroducing its most iconic apex predator.
The provided text chronicles the apprehension of Chu Dang Khoa, a notorious figure in the illegal wildlife trade known as the "Diamond King." Authorities in South Africa arrested Khoa for his leadership role in a syndicate responsible for smuggling rhino horns and tiger parts to Asian markets. Investigators linked his legitimate business fronts to a staged robbery involving nearly one hundred rhino horns, exposing the criminal operations behind his wildlife facilities. According to Education for Nature - Vietnam, this arrest represents a critical achievement in the global effort to dismantle transnational organized crime. By targeting high-level traffickers, law enforcement aims to disrupt established networks and provide a deterrent against future poaching. Ultimately, the source highlights the necessity of international cooperation in bringing high-profile environmental criminals to justice.
Muskoka facility becomes Canada's first big cat sanctuary as CTV investigation exposes roadside zoo abuses. New law ends private ownership of lions and tigers.
Myanmar's Big Cats Face Extinction: Only 22 Tigers Remain in Survey. Only 22 tigers remain in Myanmar protected areas. UMass research reveals urgent need to save Bengal tigers, Indochinese leopards, and clouded leopards from extinction.
A rare camera‑trap video of female jaguar GWM‑H2 in Costa Rica’s Guanacaste dry forest reveals how protecting wild cats safeguards entire ecosystems we all share.
GPS tracking reveals Thailand's tigers are eating unusually small prey due to habitat decline. Scientists fear this signals a critical conservation crisis.
The removal of South Africa's progressive Environment Minister Dion George marks a dangerous setback for big cat conservation and wildlife protection worldwide.
Carole Baskin
Carole Baskin is the founder and CEO of Big Cat Rescue and author of this web page. Since 1992, she has worked to end the exploitation of exotic cats and now leads the non profit's efforts to protect wild cats in the wild by funding innovative threat mitigation programs that allow humans and wild cats to co-exist in peace.