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Many communities in southern Africa live in close proximity to wildlife, which poses unique challenges for them, and for conservation. Photo credit: VukaNow Description: Although poverty is often acknowledged to be a key driver of wildlife crime, it is also becoming clear that communities that suffer from human-wildlife conflict and those that do not receive any benefits from protected areas are more likely to be involved in certain types of wildlife crime, especially illegal hunting, be it for subsistence e.g. bushmeat, or for retaliation. Additionally, many of the species impacted most by wildlife crime, such as lions and elephants, are also directly impacted by human-wildlife conflict. Ultimately, community buy-in is paramount when it comes to the success of many initiatives to combat wildlife crime, and in order to fully achieve this buy-in, we must often also address the issue of human-wildlife conflict.