The National Wildlife Crime Unit, which polices wildlife crimes ranging from persecution of Britain’s wild animals to smuggling of endangered species and trade in illicit animal products like ivory, was given an eleventh hour reprieve by the government on Tuesday.

Set up in 2006, the policing unit was set to close at the end of March, due to a shortfall in funding, but following a high-profile campaign from animal welfare groups, MPs and members of the public, Defra and the Home Office secured funding for another four years.

Reacting to the news, Humane Society International’s UK Executive Director Claire Bass said, "HSI applauds the announcement… committing to continued joint funding for the National Wildlife Crime Unit. The National Wildlife Crime Unit does an exceptionally important job protecting our precious wildlife from criminal exploitation, so we are hugely relieved that at last the government has announced secure funding for the next four years.

“Wildlife crimes such as hare coursing, badger baiting and persecution of birds of prey, cause immense suffering and threaten some of our most treasured wild species. Given the government’s highly vocal commitment to protecting endangered wildlife internationally, it would have been absurd to withdraw funding from the NWCU, creating an open season for wildlife crime in our own backyard. The essential work of this unit deserves long-term, cross-party funding commitment, so that it does not labour under the threat of closure every few years."

Defra and the Home Office will each provide the NWCU with funding of £136,000 a year for the next four financial years. Defra will provide additonal support of up to £29,000 a year over the next four years for specific work to tackle wildlife crime conducted online, as a developing area of global criminal activity.