Ms Amanda Whitfort
 |
Ms Amanda Whitfort |
Wildlife Crime and Animal Victims: Improving Access to Justice in Hong Kong
Abstract
Hong Kong is the gateway to China and many of the world's most endangered species are smuggled into the Territory to meet local and Mainland demand. In 2016, Whitfort commenced an interdisciplinary KE project to inform prosecutions and judges of the impacts of wildlife crime on ecosystems and animal welfare. Partnering with the conservation biologists at the Kadoorie Farm and Botanical Garden, she developed Victim Impact Statements for the 50 endangered species most commonly trafficked through Hong Kong. Her statements are now being used at court to inform prosecutors and judges tasked with deterring wildlife crime in the region.
Biography
Amanda Whitfort is an Associate Professor in the Department of Professional Legal Education, Faculty of Law, The University of Hong Kong and a member of the Hong Kong Bar. She teaches, researches and publishes on animal welfare law and wildlife crime and is a member of the Hong Kong government’s Animal Welfare Advisory Group’s Legal Working Party and Police Animal Watch Scheme. She is part of an international expert panel validating tertiary study materials on criminal justice responses to wildlife crime for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
Video