Cocaine trafficking could wipe out more than 60 species of birds

Lina Portman3 weeks ago

1 3 minutes read

ITHACA, NY – Cocaine trafficking continues to be a major problem for both law enforcement and human health, but a new study reveals another surprising victim of the problem: birds. Cornell University researchers say the illegal drug trade is destroying habitats for migratory birds that fly south for the winter, endangering the future of dozens of species.

The conclusions, in a few words

Researchers publish their work in the journal Sustainability of nature found that 67 species of migratory birds living in the United States and Canada face increased threats from cocaine trafficking south of the border. The biggest threat comes from drug traffickers who clear land to easily move narcotics into the Central American birds' winter home.

“When drug traffickers are pushed into isolated forest areas, they clear the land to create airstrips, roads and pastures for livestock,” says lead author Amanda Rodewald, senior director of the Center for studies on the avian population of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, in a published article in the media. release. “These activities – and the counter-drug strategies that contribute to them – can deforest landscapes and threaten species. »

Hidden airplane landing strip near a river. (Credit: EBRIMINI/Shutterstock)

Methodology

In their groundbreaking study, Cornell researchers used a multifaceted approach to solve this complex problem. They leveraged data from the U.S. government's Consolidated Counterdrug database, which documents cocaine trafficking events and law enforcement efforts in the Western Hemisphere transit zone, including Central America.

By combining this information with advanced modeling techniques, the researchers estimated how the suitability of landscapes for drug trafficking activities might change in response to drug enforcement efforts. To assess the potential impact on biodiversity, they cross-referenced these changing patterns with high-resolution data on the distribution and abundance of forest-associated birds, both resident and migratory species.

Results: a worrying overlap

About two-thirds of landscapes important to tropical resident birds and migratory species in Central America are expected to experience an increased risk of drug trafficking following peak interdiction efforts. These landscapes, including Guatemala's famous Mayan Forest and Honduran Moskitia, are among the largest remaining forest areas in the region and are disproportionately inhabited by indigenous communities.

The consequences could be considerable. More than half of Nearctic and Neotropical migratory species, including the endangered golden-cheeked warbler, have more than 25% of their global populations in areas increasingly vulnerable to drug trafficking activities.

“This research provides an even more comprehensive look at the harm caused by drug trafficking and how we are combatting it today,” says Nicholas Magliocca, study co-author and associate professor at the University of Alabama.

Limitations of the study

Although the study sheds light on this complex issue, the researchers acknowledge the challenges and uncertainties inherent in estimating covert activities like drug trafficking. Their goal was not to predict future hotspots, but rather to expand the scope of potential collateral damage considered in the context of drug control strategies and reform alternatives.

Takeaways

Researchers emphasize the need for more holistic strategies that extend beyond the traditional supply control approach championed by the United States. Researchers say these strategies should aim to build trust and strengthen the capacity of communities and governments to protect their lands from drug traffickers.

“US drug policy in Central America focuses on the supply side of the equation, and law enforcement pressure plays a significant role in the movement of trafficking routes and narco-deforestation locations” , adds Magliocca. “After 40 years, this approach has not worked. In fact, cocaine trafficking has only expanded and become a global network. In the past, cocaine only passed through Central America. Today, it has become a hub for global transshipment.”

Strengthening governance institutions, improving land rights, reducing poverty among indigenous and rural communities and strengthening their capacity to protect forests are among the recommended actions. By empowering these communities to reassert their territorial control and resource governance norms, researchers believe the cycle of environmental destruction driven by drug traffickers can be disrupted.

“Our study reminds us that we cannot solve social problems in isolation, because they can have unintended environmental consequences that compromise conservation,” concludes Rodewald.

The conclusions, in a few words

Methodology

Results: a worrying overlap

Limitations of the study

Takeaways

Lina Portman

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