An easy place to start is CITES.org, even if aren't looking for CITES species.
On their website, they have area calle "National Contacts and Information". Clicking on that gives you a list of the countries that are party to CITES. There are names, phone numbers, addresses, and other contact information. In general, for non-CITES information I start with the Enforcement Authorities in the country I'm looking at. They are usually the ones who will arrest you, so they are the first priority in my mind. Next would be the Scientific Authority.
For instance, Kenya:
Scientific Authorities / Autoridades Científicas / Autorités scientifiques
1
Kenya Wildlife Service
P.O. Box 40241 – 00100
NAIROBI
Tel: +254 (20) 60 08 00; 60 23 45; 60 37 92
Fax: + 254 (20) 60 37 92/4
Email: cites @ kws.go.ke; pomondi @ kws.go.ke; skasiki @ kws.go.ke
Web:
www.kws.go.ke 2
National Museums of Kenya (NMK)
P.O. Box 40658 – 00100
NAIROBI
Tel: + 254 (20) 374 21 31/2/3/4; 374 21 61/2/3/4
Fax: + 254 (20) 374 14 24
Email: bkhayota @ museums.or.ke; dgnmk @ museums.or.ke
Enforcement Authority / Autoridad de observancia / Autorité de lutte contre la fraude
1
Kenya Wildlife Service
Deputy Director, Security
P.O BOX
40241-00100 NAIROBI
Tel: +254 (20) 60 08 00; 60 23 45
Fax: +254 (20) 60 37 92
Email: security @ kws.go.ke; licensing @ kws.go.ke
Japan:
Enforcement Authorities / Autoridades de observancia / Autorités de lutte contre la fraude
1
Ministry of the Environment
Wildlife Division
Nature Conservation Bureau
1-2-2 Kasumigaseki
Chiyoda-ku
TOKYO 100-8975
Tel: +81 (3) 55 21 82 84
Fax: +81 (3) 35 81 70 90
2
Ministry of Finance
Customs Clearance Division
Customs and Tariff Bureau
3-1-1 Kasumigaseki
Chiyoda-ku
TOKYO
Tel: +81 (3) 35 81 41 11 (ext. 2534)
Fax: +81 (3) 52 51 21 25
3
Resources and Environment Research Division
Fisheries Agency
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
1-2-1 Kasumigaseki
Chiyoda-ku
TOKYO 100-8907
Tel: +81 (3) 35 02 84 87
Fax: +81 (3) 35 02 16 82
4
National Police Agency
Director of Economic Crimes Investigation
Community Safety Bureau
1-2 Kasumigaseki 2-chome
Chiyoda-ku
TOKYO 100-8974
Tel: +81 (3) 35 81 01 41 (ext. 3391)
Fax: +81 (3) 35 81 93 35