Why is illegal trade of wildlife a problem?

Wildlife trafficking threatens security, hinders economic development, and undermines the rule of law. The illicit trade in wildlife is decimating many species worldwide and threatens iconic species such as rhinoceroses, elephants, and tigers with extinction.

Is there legal wildlife trade?

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is a treaty that regulates the international trade of 5,800 animal and 30,000 plant species via a permitting system.

Is wildlife trade illegal in the US?

The Lacey Act, passed in 1900 as the first federal law to protect wildlife, prohibits the trade of illegally sourced wildlife, fish, and plants, and it allows the U.S. to enforce the wildlife laws of the country of origin.

Why should we care about illegal wildlife trade?

Wildlife trade threatens the local ecosystem, and puts all species under additional pressure at a time when they are facing threats such as over-fishing, pollution, dredging, deforestation and other forms of habitat destruction.

Why is wildlife trade harmful?

Wildlife trade can also cause indirect harm through:

Introducing invasive species which then prey on, or compete with, native species. Invasive species are as big a threat to the balance of nature as the direct overexploitation by humans of some species.

What is the most illegally traded animal?

Pangolins
Pangolins are believed to be the world’s most trafficked mammal, accounting for as much as 20% of all illegal wildlife trade. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), more than a million pangolins were poached in the decade prior to 2014.

How does wildlife trade affect the world?

Trafficking in wildlife can diminish species populations and cause local or even global extinction. When endangered species are involved, any poaching or harvesting of that species to supply the illegal trade risks the species becoming extinct.

What is wildlife trade Why is it useful?

Why do people trade wildlife? People trade wildlife for cash or exchange it for other useful objects – for example, utensils in exchange for wild animal skins. Driving the trade is the end-consumer who has a need or desire for wildlife products, whether for food, construction or clothing.

Which wildlife products are traded illegally?

In India, it includes diverse products including mongoose hair; snake skins; Rhino horn; Tiger and Leopard claws, bones, skins, whiskers; Elephant tusks; deer antlers; shahtoosh shawl; turtle shells; musk pods; bear bile; medicinal plants; timber and caged birds such as parakeets, mynas, munias etc.

What does it mean to trade illegally?

Illicit trade is the production or distribution of a good or service that is considered illegal by a legislature. It includes trade that is strictly illegal in different jurisdictions, as well as trade that is illegal in some jurisdictions but legal in others.

Is illegal wildlife trade sustainable?

Illegal trade also undermines countries’ efforts to protect and sustainably manage their natural resources. The trade can also harm other species. For example, illegal fishing of already depleted fish stocks affects other marine animals that depend on the fish.

How many animals are illegally trafficked each year?

Birds are the most common contraband; the State Department estimates that two million to five million wild birds, from hummingbirds to parrots to harpy eagles, are traded illegally worldwide every year. Millions of turtles, crocodiles, snakes and other reptiles are also trafficked, as well as mammals and insects.

Is the illegal hunting and collecting of wild animals for trade?

Definitions. Wildlife trafficking involves the illegal trade, smuggling, poaching, capture, or collection of endangered species, protected wildlife (including animals or plants that are subject to harvest quotas and regulated by permits), derivatives, or products thereof.

How does the illegal wildlife trade affect the environment?

Global illegal wildlife trading is a major threat to environmental biosecurity, biodiversity, human health and wellbeing and directly threatens tens of thousands of species. It is also a likely source of invasive species.

What is illegal wildlife trade worth?

The United Nations estimates that global illegal wildlife trade is worth between $7 billion and $23 billion a year, making it one of the most profitable criminal enterprises.

How much money does the illegal wildlife trade make?

But it’s not just an issue that affects wildlife. The illegal wildlife trade is a huge international organised crime – the fourth biggest illegal trade in the world, worth over an estimated £15 billion annually.