Final signature count: 18,327

18,327 signatures toward our 30,000 goal

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.