A group of award-winning photographers have joined forces to combat illegal wildlife crime with the release of a new book.

The team have launched a Kickstarter campaign to publish Photographers Against Wildlife Crime, a book using photography to document the global wildlife trade.

The crowd-funding campaign began on October 16 and will run to December 14, 2017, with over £5,000 raised of a £20,000 target so far.

Mock-up of the cover of Photographers Against Wildlife Crime

Project founder Britta Jaschinski said: “Some of us risk our lives to document incomprehensible cruelty and ruthlessness.

“The public wants to see an end to the demand for wildlife products to save species from extinction. By supporting Photographers Against Wildlife Crime, you can help us to make a difference and end the trade.”

The book will be released to European and American markets but will also have an edition in Mandarin for distribution in China, one of the largest markets for wildlife trade.

Elephants are wiped out to trade ivory and hideous trinkets. A pair of elephant feet made into stools, confiscated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. © Britta Jaschinski, 2016

Proceeds from sales will be donated to charities whose mission it is to end the illegal wildlife trade.

Contributions will come from Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017 winner Brent Stirton and renowned photographer Michael ‘Nick’ Nichols, alongside Brian Skerry and Adrian Steirn.

Stirton, who has documented the illegal trade in ivory and rhino horn, said: “What I’m seeing is absolute decimation of environmental spaces and species like never before.

“Most of the world doesn’t really understand what’s going on with its own planet.”

A ‘Care for Wild Africa’ volunteer comforts a rhino calf orphaned after its mother was killed by poachers. © Brent Stirton

Well-known wildlife presenter Chris Packham has also backed the project with a campaign video and submitting his own contributions to the book.

“More than ever now, photography has a very important job to do and one of the jobs it needs to do is to stamp out wildlife crime,” he said.

To order your copy and support the project visit www.photographersagainstwildlifecrime.com.

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