Wildlife Conservation

Most trafficked wildlife

09/06/2020

Wildlife trade is whenever people sell or exchange wild animals and plant resources. It can involve live animals and plants or all kinds of its products (WWF, 2018).

Wildlife trade doesn’t always mean a bad thing and most wildlife trade is legal. But it has the potential to be very damaging, as according to WWF (World Wildlife Fund) (2018): “populations of species on earth declined by an average 40% between 1970 and 2000 – and the second-biggest direct threat to species survival, after habitat destruction, is wildlife trade”.

The bigger problem associated with wildlife trade is that it can cause overexploitation to the point where the survival of a species is at risk. In the past, such overexploitation has caused extinctions or severely threatened species (WWWf, 2018).

Right now, we are facing an unprecedented growth in illegal wildlife trade, which is threatening decades of conservation gains and it’s wildlife species around the world. The growth is due to the high demand for elephant ivory, rhino horns, and tiger products, particularly in Asia, as the human population grows. (WWF, 2020)

According to WWF (2020): “Wildlife crime is a big business. Run by dangerous international networks, wildlife and animal parts are trafficked much like illegal drugs and arms. By its very nature, it is almost impossible to obtain reliable figures for the value of the illegal wildlife trade. Experts at TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, estimate that it runs into billions of dollars. Today, it is the fifth most profitable illicit trade in the world, estimated at up to $10 billion annually”.

 

 

Most of us already know some examples of illegal wildlife trade, such as poaching of rhino for their horn, elephants for ivory and tigers for their skins and bones. However, countless other species are similarly poached, from marine turtles to timber trees. Unfortunately, not all wildlife trade is illegal. Some wild plants and animals from tens of thousands of species are caught or harvested from the wild and then sold legitimately as food, pets, ornamental plants, leather, tourist ornaments and medicine (WWF, 2020). 

“Understanding how poachers, traffickers and organised criminals operate is the only way we can hope to disrupt extremely complicated wildlife smuggling networks” - Penny Wallace, Programme Officer for Wildlife Crime

Factors like corruption, toothless laws, weak judicial systems and light sentences, allow criminal networks to keep plundering wildlife with little regard to consequences. So it becomes a low risk business with high returns. The poachers, which are often poor local people that don’t have access to a lot of resources, become an easy target and are usually the only ones getting caught by the law enforcement. And that leaves the real masterminds and their network safe and operational with the ability to do it again (WWF, 2020).

Which species are most affected by this industry?




Pangolins

“An estimated one million pangolins have been poached in the last decade, making them the most trafficked mammals in the world. These shy creatures are poached in Asia and Africa for their scales and body parts, consumed for nourishment, a symbol of wealth or within traditional medicine” (TRAFFIC, 2020). 



African rhinos

“Black and White Rhinos are among Africa’s most iconic mega-fauna. After years of ruthless poaching by organised criminal syndicates for their keratin horn (same substance as our hair and fingernails), both African species of rhino are now threatened with extinction in the wild and in desperate need of protection” (TRAFFIC, 2020).




African Elephants

“African Elephants are arguably the most well-known species to be heavily impacted by illegal trade and wildlife crime, given that approximately 90% have been decimated within the last century. Global efforts to reverse this devastating onslaught on African Elephant populations have seen positive results, but demand for ivory still exists and illegal traders remain as resourceful and ruthless as ever” (TRAFFIC, 2020).

 



Tigers

“Tiger’s populations have been devastated by poaching, illegal trade, human-wildlife conflict and habitat loss. Once common across Asian range states, these magnificent big cats are now estimated to number approximately 3,800 in the wild” (TRAFFIC, 2020).

With the overexploitation, it can lead to the extinction of these species which will damage the ecosystem. “For example, overfishing does not only affect individual fishing communities and threaten certain fish species, but causes imbalances in the whole marine system. As human life depends on the existence of a functioning planet Earth, careful and thoughtful use of wildlife species and their habitats is required to avoid not only extinctions, but serious disturbances to the complex web of life” (WWF, 2018).

How you can help!

Supporting Regulations

WWF provides technical and scientific advice to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). WWF and TRAFFIC research illegal wildlife trade routes, the effects of wildlife trade on particular species and deficiencies in wildlife trade laws. This information is essential for CITES and supports new plans for confronting illegal wildlife trade (WWF, 2020).

Public Education

Educate yourself and educate others. Don’t buy products that can come from these animals.

One of the most powerful tools for addressing illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade is persuading consumers to make informed choices. This includes the people buying the end product as well as shop-keepers, suppliers and manufacturers (WWF, 2020). 

 

 

 

WWF is asking for your help to save wildlife and people from becoming victims of wildlife crime. Join their Stop Wildlife Crime campaign and help:

  • Push governments to protect threatened animal populations by increasing law enforcement, imposing strict deterrents, reducing demand for endangered species products and honoring international commitments made under CITES.
  • Speak up on behalf of those on the frontlines, like rangers, being threatened by armed poachers so they are properly equipped, trained and compensated.
  • Reduce demand for illegal wildlife parts and products by encouraging others to ask questions and get the facts before buying any wildlife or plant product (WWF, 2020).

Follow these incredible organisations and spread the word

WWF

https://www.instagram.com/wwf/

https://www.worldwildlife.org/

TRAFFIC

https://www.instagram.com/traffic_wltrade/

https://www.traffic.org

 

You can also watch the mini-series WWF released back in 2013 to understand a little bit more about the Wildlife Crime.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ss58fP7qxEA

Source:

TRAFFIC. Illegal wildlife trade.

https://www.traffic.org/about-us/illegal-wildlife-trade/

WWF (World Wildlife Fund) (2018). Second-biggest direct threat to species after habitat destruction.

https://wwf.panda.org/our_work/wildlife/problems/illegal_trade/

WWF (World Wildlife Fund) (2020). Stop wildlife crime: it’s dead serious.

https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/stop-wildlife-crime?_ga=2.34128929.1001605830.1590997918-1891438713.1590997918

WWF (World Wildlife Fund) (2020). Illegal wildlife trade.

https://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/illegal-wildlife-trade

 

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Love,

Bea & João

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