United for Wildlife members from across The Americas came together this week in Miami for Combatting the Illegal Wildlife Trade in The Americas.

The event brought together delegates from the United for Wildlife North America and Latin America and Caribbean Chapters for the very first time.

Countries across The Americas are hubs for both supply and demand for wildlife, as well as a key transit route to the rest of the world. Miami, known as the gateway between the USA and Latin America, is a key transit hub for trafficking between the two regions.

After a fantastic scene setter for the region by Brookings Institute Senior Fellow Vanda Felbab-Brown, delegates heard from speakers across the finance, transport, NGO and law enforcement sectors, including Homeland Security, the Wildlife Conservation Society, IATA, the FBI, and a National Geographic Explorer.

In addition to a full day of rich discussion, delegates visited Everglades National Park to explore the impact of the wildlife trade on this iconic Florida landscape.

The event also saw a new signatory to the Illegal Wildlife Trade Statement of Principles, launched at the United for Wildlife Global Summit in Singapore last year (2023).