Overview
POACH, short for Protection of Animals and Controlled Hunting, is the wildlife enforcement agency of the state of Leonida in Grand Theft Auto VI. It is one of several agencies that operate outside standard city police jurisdiction, and the only one shown so far whose remit is animals rather than people.
Jurisdiction
POACH patrols rural and protected land rather than the city. Its presence is established in the Grassrivers wetlands, and the agency is associated with the protected terrain of Mount Kalaga National Park. It sits alongside the city, county, state and federal bodies covered on the law enforcement page as a specialist state agency.
What Triggers a POACH Response
POACH responds to illegal hunting and to interference with protected wildlife. Trailer 1 shows POACH vehicles pursuing a pickup truck with alligators tied into the bed, which establishes both the agency's enforcement role and the fact that poaching is a crime the game tracks separately from ordinary offences.
Trailer 1 also shows the agency's public face: a social media post from the handle OfficialPOACH, showing an alligator being removed from a residential pool, carries the caption "Stay alert VC! Remember to check for uninvited guests before the pool party".
Detail | What Is Established |
|---|---|
Full name | Protection of Animals and Controlled Hunting |
Type | State wildlife enforcement agency |
Confirmed area | Grassrivers and rural Leonida |
Confirmed appearance | Trailer 1, pursuing a pickup truck carrying alligators |
Vehicles | Marked agency vehicles with their own livery. Boats and airboats suit the wetland terrain it patrols, though no POACH watercraft has been confirmed. |
Relationship to the Wanted System
POACH pursuits appear in the same footage as ordinary police chases, but Rockstar has not said whether a POACH response uses the wanted system star scale, a separate meter, or a milder enforcement track that fines or confiscates rather than escalating. As of 12 September 2026 no official description of POACH pursuit mechanics has been published.
What Is Not Known
No named POACH officer or character has been revealed.
No POACH station, office or impound location has been shown.
Whether hunting licences, bag limits or seasons exist as systems has not been stated.
Whether POACH appears outside Grassrivers and the national park is unconfirmed.
Checked 12 September 2026 against Rockstar statements, the two released trailers and the August 2026 gameplay showcase.