CONCLUSION: Reflections on researching and understanding wildlife crime

This concluding chapter briefly summarises the main contributions of each section of the Routledge Handbook of Wildlife Crime, highlighting that crimes against wildlife are not confined to specific regions, species, or environments but have lasting global implications. In Part 1, contributions investigated the complex interfaces and interconnections of wildlife crime with gender, cultural, and social norms. The chapters included in Part 2 highlighted the gap between researching the real-life practice and the theoretical understanding of wildlife crime and related harms. The chapters in Part 3 zoomed in on the range of alternative and emerging responses to wildlife crime. The final section of this handbook reported on ongoing issues in wildlife crime. We conclude by briefly discussing what this handbook did not cover, the emerging and changing trends in wildlife crime and approaches to addressing it since the writing of this handbook began, and avenues for further and future research. © 2026 selection and editorial matter, Francis Massé, Annette Hübschle, Laura Gutiérrez, Rebecca W.Y. Wong, and Tanya Wyatt; individual chapters, the contributors.