WASHINGTON, D.C. | July 29, 2021 — Wildlife experts will participate in a major U.S. whistleblower conference to discuss wildlife whistleblowing and wildlife whistleblower protections. The panel is part of the 2021 National Whistleblower Day celebration hosted by the National Whistleblower Center (NWC). The virtual conference takes place from July 28th to July 30th. The Acting Director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, Danielle Kessler, will moderate. The panel airs at 4 PM EDT on Friday, July 30th, as part of the day’s programming, “NATIONAL WHISTLEBLOWER DAY! Recognizing Whistleblowers and Understanding Whistleblower Protections.”
The panel will address wildlife whistleblowing and the U.S. laws that whistleblowers around the world can rely upon to safely blow the whistle on wildlife crimes. Panel experts will discuss how certain laws like the Lacey Act and False Claims Act can secure whistleblowers needed protections, like confidentiality, and potentially reward them. Under these laws, whistleblowers have proven to be a powerful tool for detecting and prosecuting wildlife and environmental crimes and corruption.
Ms. Kessler will be joined by Earth League International Executive Director Andrea Crosta, Northumbria University Professor of Criminology Dr. Tanya Wyatt, and Association of Zoos & Aquariums Executive Director and CEO Dan Ashe.
Members of the media are encouraged to RSVP for National Whistleblower Day 2021 for updates and for a link to join the event.
