Protecting tigers requires more than arrests

Tigers are more than an iconic symbol of Asia's forests. As apex predators, they help keep ecosystems in balance by regulating prey populations and supporting the health of the landscapes they share with countless other species and communities. But across much of Southeast Asia, wild tiger populations remain critically low. New findings from WWF, GuArdean, and TRAFFIC's report, From Seizure to Sentence, show that tiger-related arrests aren’t enough. To protect Southeast Asia's remaining wild tigers, traffickers must be prosecuted and held accountable.

Far too often, cases fail to move forward to prosecution, outcomes remain unknown, or penalties do not reflect the seriousness of the crime. When traffickers face little risk of meaningful consequences, illegal tiger trade remains profitable, organized criminal networks continue to operate, and the poaching of wild tigers continues. For tigers, protection doesn't end with an arrest. It depends on what happens next—from investigation to prosecution to sentencing.

Why arrests aren’t enough

The report examined tiger-related arrests, prosecutions, and sentencing outcomes across Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam between 2019 and 2024. Although all seven countries covered in the report legally protect tigers, criminal justice responses vary widely. Limited access to court records also makes it difficult to understand whether offenders are being held accountable, where cases are falling through the cracks, and what changes are needed to improve outcomes. These gaps make it harder to ensure wildlife crimes receive the strong legal response needed to deter future trafficking.

“Tiger seizures and arrests alone are not enough,” said Heather Sohl, WWF Tiger Trade Lead. “Without consistent and strong prosecutions and meaningful sentences, the risks for offenders remain low, and tigers continue to pay the price.”

Among the publicly available cases reviewed in the report, only about 42% resulted in penalties such as imprisonment or fines, while 14% resulted in suspended sentences. The report also found that prosecutions most often target low- and mid-level offenders, such as poachers or transporters, rather than the organizers and financiers who profit most from trafficking networks.

Strengthening justice for tigers

The report identifies practical ways to strengthen the criminal justice response to tiger trafficking by improving coordination and transparency throughout the legal process and helping investigators and prosecutors build stronger cases against traffickers. By making better use of forensic, digital, and financial evidence—and applying laws that target organized crime—countries can better hold traffickers accountable and disrupt the criminal networks behind the illegal trade.

WWF is working with partners, including GuArdean, TRAFFIC, governments, and law enforcement agencies across Southeast Asia, to help turn these recommendations into action. By supporting stronger criminal justice systems and regional collaboration, WWF is helping countries build more effective responses to tiger trafficking that better protect the region's remaining wild tigers.