The Department of National Parks and Wildlife says it is facing challenges to arrest kingpins behind wildlife crimes, a development which is derailing the fight against the vice.

Its Director, Brighton Kumchedwa, made the remarks as Malawi joined the rest of the world in commemorating World Wildlife Day which falls on March 3 every year.

Kumchedwa said mostly the arrested perpetrators of wildlife crimes are the ones employed by rich business people such as the Chines nationals who are usually untouchable.

He said: “The main challenge is how to get to the kingpins who are mostly Chinese nationals who are sponsoring crimes against wildlife.”

Kumchedwa further said the kingpins usually set themselves aside and let their employees to do the poaching and trafficking of the wildlife.

He added that wildlife criminal activities are highly organized and there is need to invest more resources in form of man power and money to fight the malpractice.

However, Kumchedwa commended communities living around protected areas for being patriotic enough to report the crimes a development which has assisted in lowering down the cases.

This year’s World Wildlife Day the day is being commemorated under the theme “Forests and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet”.

The day was set aside on December 20, 2013 at the 68th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) with the aim of celebrating and raising awareness of the world’s wild animals and plants.