Nature’s Secret Service, S2 Ep02: Craig Spencer

This is your rare opportunity to hear from a real life confidential informant who worked for the US Fish and Wildlife Service. It's exceedingly rare to get an inside seat to the world of "CI's" but confidential informant "Pete Paxton" breaks the silence to give you a brief look behind the curtain. Recruited as an informant by Special Agent Newcomer, Paxton worked for the US Fish and Wildlife Service for a number of years and went on to provide information on other cases to NOAA National Marine Fisheries Law Enforcement. His work in animal cruelty investigations is legendary and his work on wildlife crimes led to changes in California fishing laws and practices. He is the co-author of the book entitled "Rescue Dogs: Where They Come From, Why They Act the Way They Do, and How to Love Them Well," which is available on Amazon or wherever books are sold. He is also a founder and director of the non-profit organization SEED - Strategies for Ethical and Environmental Development (https://www.ethicalstrategies.org/)

Join Ed in a conversation with Nkateko Mzimba and Collet Ngobeni, two rangers from the Black Mambas Anti-Poaching Unit based at the Olifants West Nature Reserve in South Africa. The Black Mambas patrol a 25,000 acre reserve inside the greater Kruger ecosystem that is home to elephants, rhinos, lions, buffalo, and all of the species native to the Southern African bush. Listen as the rangers describe their duties and some of their adventures and close calls protecting the important wildlife that is often under threat from commercial poachers and wildlife traffickers.

Join Ed and former Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Police Officer Todd Vandivert as they discuss Todd's long-term undercover investigation entitled Operation Cody. Operation Cody uncovered widespread trafficking of wildlife species native to the state of Washington.