President Obama won praise from conservationists when, on his recent trip to Africa, he issued an Executive Order curtailing elephant poaching in central Africa and other forms of wildlife trafficking–boosting law enforcement by $10 million.

“We thank President Obama and his administration for acting in defense of threatened elephants, rhinos and other wildlife and look forward to working with them on future actions to solve this crisis,” said Dr. Cristián Samper, president and CEO of the Wildlife Conservation Society.

“The planet’s most majestic species are being massacred for nothing nobler than vacation trinkets, hangover remedies and false promises of miracle cancer cures,” said Carter Roberts, President and CEO of WWF. “These syndicates are robbing Africa of its wealth. President Obama’s commitment to help stop the global crime wave that is emptying the continent’s forests and savannas is welcome news.”

Related: Restoring Africa’s Iconic Wildlife, in an Unlikely Landscape