A new report says there is very little investigation or even recognition of the seriousness of wildlife crime.

Wildlife crime is worth between $9 billion and $29 billion worldwide each.

It occurs in almost every country in the world, threatening the existence of thousands of species of plants and animals.

A new joint investigation by the Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering and the UN Office of Drugs and Crime has found that even though there is an increased involvement of organised criminal groups, wildlife crime is still viewed as an “emerging crime” or “outside of mainstream crime”.

“Wildlife criminal cases very often start and end with the seizure, with limited investigation into the wider criminal network beyond the poacher or courier,” the report said.

“Financial investigation and anti-money laundering techniques are rarely used in the fight against wildlife crime.

“As a result, there are major gaps in our understanding of the financial flows behind wildlife crime and inadequate measures are being undertaken to mitigate the risks of wildlife crime and associated money laundering.”

Many jurisdictions virtually ignore the detection and investigation of wildlife crime compared to drug trafficking.

In the APG study, 86 per cent of jurisdictions surveyed — including Australia — were affected by wildlife crime, but only 26 per cent carried out financial investigations into the crimes.

The investigators say most countries lack the political will to prioritise or manage wildlife crime.

“The failure of many jurisdictions to recognise these crimes as transnational organised crimes and to employ the full range of law enforcement tools available — particularly financial investigations — is a short sightedness for which we are paying a heavy price,” the report said.

“The impacts of wildlife crime are significant and far-reaching, from the extinction of iconic species, to the loss of livelihoods of local communities, and threats to sustainable development, good governance, rule of law, and national security.

“Genuine and concerted international action is essential before it is too late.”