Daniel Stiles has worked in environmental fields since the 1970s and as an independent illegal wildlife trade investigator since 1999. His research on endangered wildlife, ivory, and related products has informed UN agencies, the World Bank, IUCN, and TRAFFIC. He previously worked in academia and the UN on natural resource use and management. Since 2015, he has focused on online wildlife trafficking, transnational organized crime networks, and transport routes. He has written or contributed to reports for leading international organizations and conservation NGOs.