The fierce fight against wildlife trafficking continues

Dear EarthTalk: How is the fight against wildlife trafficking going?

—LK, Chicago, Illinois

Wildlife trafficking, defined as the illegal trapping and/or poaching of wildlife for commercial purposes, is second only to habitat loss as one of the greatest modern threats to wildlife. This criminal practice massively targets elephants, large reptiles and corals, and has led to the extinction of rare species of plants, reptiles and fish. High risk of extinction is common among species targeted by wildlife crime; Of the 4,000 species currently poached for trafficking worldwide, 40 percent are already listed as threatened or near threatened.

The trade also harms people, as many foreign animals can spread dangerous diseases to previously unexposed people and livestock. Poor populations in the countries where poached animals originate are particularly affected by the industry, as lucrative criminal organizations often blackmail people with limited financial options into doing dangerous work for them.

Despite the harm caused by wildlife trafficking to wildlife and humans, the industry has continued to grow over the past century and is now estimated to be worth around $23 billion annually. With practices such as trophy hunting, hoarding and exotic tourism gaining momentum over the years, the demand for poached wildlife products has only increased.

Further access to the sector has been provided by the convenience, security and relative anonymity of online transactions, making it more difficult than ever to track the transport and delivery of goods. Many countries facing high rates of wildlife trafficking also lack sufficient law enforcement and security to adequately police their borders for illegal traders. However, many governments, nonprofit organizations, and environmental advocates are working to address these issues.

In 2022, the United States Agency for International Development has committed $75 million annually to reduce trafficking in more than 35 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The money will go towards behavior change campaigns, more careers in conservation and increased law enforcement and increased security capacity so borders are policed ​​more consistently . Similar efforts by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the nonprofit Wildlife Conservation Society have already led to a 35 percent increase in wildlife crime convictions . These programs are essential to our societal efforts to collaborate with governments, indigenous peoples, local communities, tourism and local transportation to deter wildlife crime.

Trafficking often seems like a distant problem, but there are still ways to help combat wildlife crime. For starters, any evidence of online trafficking should be reported to the Coalition to End Wildlife Trafficking Online or the National Wildlife Crime Unit. Tourists should also exercise caution when encountering particularly exotic products, experiences or foods. You can check whether certain organic products – particularly fish, supermarket produce and palm oil products – are sourced from the Good Fish Guide websites, the Giki app and the Sustainable Palm Oil Roundtable respectively.

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