Wildlife conservation objectives are integral to achieving biodiversity and environmental protection objectives, but are specific goals in their own right. In Antarctica, conservation is promoted through various treaties, including the Antarctic Treaty system, species-specific treaties, and related international laws. This creates a patchwork of regulation that prevents wildlife conservation from being addressed in a coherent or systematic manner. This is due to the different regulations advancing divergent core values and juggling competing interests. This paper examines the challenges to advancing wildlife conservation objectives in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean by assessing how, and to what extent, wildlife conservation is the key or predominant objective in the core treaties protecting Antarctic wildlife. The analysis compares how wildlife conservation goals are reflected as core values in each treaty and examines how wildlife conservation objectives in Antarctic-specific treaties contrast with wildlife conservation aims outlined in broader biodiversity treaties in international law. By analysing core values and interests in each treaty, we can assess if wildlife conservation is truly a primary goal and identify necessary changes for future protection.