Wildlife smuggling, also called wildlife trafficking, refers to the illegal collection and sale of endangered animals, protected plants, and items made from these species. Studies about wildlife smuggling have grown, but understanding of this illegal trade is still limited. Differences in rules and practices between countries may explain why estimates of the trade's value vary widely, from $5 to $23 billion, and even higher when including timber and fish, reaching $67 to $193 billion. The fast growth of wildlife smuggling has made it the fourth-largest criminal activity worldwide, following drug trafficking, firearm trafficking, and human trafficking. Items in demand include ivory, bushmeat, traditional medicine, and exotic pets. China and the United States are the biggest buyers in this illegal trade. This activity often includes other crimes, such as using tranquilizers on animals without proper permission.

Culture

Culture often plays an important role in wildlife trafficking. Many reasons for targeting certain wildlife for traditional medicines, jewelry, trinkets, pets, or wild meat (bushmeat) are connected to traditions or trends within societies. Globalization, the Internet, social media, and people moving between countries have helped spread items linked to the wildlife trade across the world. For example, traditional medicines are found in countries like the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa. Laws that ban certain plant or animal products may not work well if people believe these rules conflict with their cultural traditions or beliefs about what is best for human health. Tourism has also led to accidental wildlife trafficking, as people may buy items without knowing they are illegal.

Examples of culturally influenced illegal wildlife trade include:

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) began around the 10th century BCE. It uses plants and animals to treat illness and slow aging. After the discovery of the germ theory of disease about 200 years ago, younger, educated people in China started to question TCM. However, TCM remains an important part of cultural identity for many in China and contributes about $10 million to the economy each year.

Using animal parts in traditional medicines has been a major cause of wildlife trafficking. Many species used in this practice are now listed as threatened or endangered by the IUCN, and others have seen population declines.

A study looked at how Chinese millennials view using wildlife products for medicine. Out of 350 students surveyed, three out of four had never tried wildlife products, and only 11% said they might try them in the future. Chinese culture has historically used nature for practical purposes, but changes in society and culture may affect this view among younger people.

Wild meat is often hunted illegally in African countries, especially where political or economic instability exists. In rural areas, bushmeat is used to survive poverty and lack of food. In cities, people may eat bushmeat as a symbol of wealth. Wild meat is also exported from Africa to international markets each year.

Ivory remains highly valued in global markets, with an estimated 100 African elephants killed daily for their tusks.

Ineffective monitoring of international wildlife trade

The amount of international trade in wildlife products is very large and continues to grow. According to a 2012 analysis of customs data from the Harmonized System, the global value of imported wildlife products was US$187 billion. This included $113 billion in fish products, $71 billion in plants and forestry goods, and $3 billion in non-fish animal products.

However, the global trade in wildlife products is not monitored well because the current Harmonized System (HS) Code used by customs worldwide has limitations. Most wildlife imports are recorded only in broad categories, such as "plant products" or "animal products," without specific details about the exact type of plant or animal. For example, this is similar to importing metals without noting whether they are copper or iron. It is estimated that about 50% of plant imports and 70% of animal imports are recorded in these general categories. Fish products are an exception, with about 5% recorded in specific categories due to international agreements that require detailed reporting of fish species. Some commonly traded wildlife groups, such as amphibians and live coral, are not tracked at all because no HS code exists for them.

Many governments rely on the HS code declared by importers to identify and take legal action against illegal wildlife imports. The lack of detailed HS codes makes it difficult to monitor and track wildlife trade effectively. There is growing support for changing the Harmonized System to improve the ability to monitor and enforce rules on global wildlife trade.

Impact

Members of terrorist and criminal groups illegally smuggle hundreds of millions of plants and animals to fund the purchase of weapons, support conflicts, and hide money from illegal sources. These activities often involve groups across many countries and require a network of people who capture animals, process them, transport them, sell them, and buy them. Well-armed and organized poaching groups, such as those responsible for attacks in Chad and the Republic of Congo in 2012, have received widespread attention. Part of the reason for this is that the risk of being caught and punished is lower compared to drug trafficking. Additionally, smuggling can generate large profits. For example, a single Ploughshare tortoise from Madagascar (only about 400 remain in the wild) can be sold for $24,000.

Elephant ivory, a commonly smuggled item, is worth little in the countries where it is taken but can be sold for high prices in other countries. The cost depends on the country and the type of product. Demand for ivory has increased rapidly, making it a highly profitable trade. In 2014, illegal ivory trade activity was more than double what it was in 2007. China is the largest buyer of illegal ivory, and the United States is the second-largest. Reports from the wildlife group Save the Elephants show that raw ivory in China cost $2,100 per kilogram. Between 2010 and 2012, an average of 33,000 elephants were killed each year. Wildlife smuggling harms the economies of affected countries by reducing tourism and development opportunities.

The spread of diseases from animals to humans can harm both human health and wildlife and ecosystems. According to the United States Government Accountability Office, about 75% of new diseases that affect humans come from animals. While the connection between wildlife smuggling and disease outbreaks is not always clear, some outbreaks are linked to smuggled animals.

• SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) is caused by a virus that affects both humans and wildlife. Experts believe the virus may have first spread to humans through contact with civets, which are often traded in China.
• Avian flu (H5N1) is caused by a dangerous virus. It can spread to humans through contact with infected birds, such as crested hawks, or through contact with poultry.
• Monkeypox is a disease found in African wildlife that can spread to humans.
• Ebola is a rare disease that spreads from wild animals, such as chimpanzees, monkeys, gorillas, and fruit bats, to humans. People often get infected by eating these animals, being in close contact with them, or touching their bodily fluids.

• Herpes B virus is found in macaque monkeys and can be passed to humans through bites or scratches. If not treated quickly, it can cause serious brain damage or death.
• Salmonella infection causes diarrhea, fever, and stomach pain. It has been linked to contact with reptiles like turtles and bearded dragons.

Wildlife smuggling harms the variety of life in ecosystems. Smugglers often target certain animals, leading to a noticeable drop in their numbers in the wild. Smuggling can also introduce harmful animals into new areas, where they compete with native species for resources. Over the past 100 years, about 20 animal species have gone extinct due to poaching and smuggling, including the West African Black Rhinoceros, Pyrenean Ibex, and Passenger Pigeon.

International control measures

Global trade that connects many countries increases the movement of many types of goods, including products from wild animals. People who buy or sell these items often focus on personal benefits, like money or fashion, and may not consider the harm to the environment and ecosystems. Some individuals and groups have recognized that these choices are not sustainable and must change.

Many animals are not protected until their numbers drop to dangerous levels, which causes major losses in the variety of life in ecosystems. Laws like the Endangered Species Act (ESA) help control human actions that harm the environment. The ESA protects species and their homes that are at risk of disappearing and holds people accountable if they break these rules. As more efforts are made to monitor and control environmental harm, the United Nations is working to create more protected areas through programs like Sustainable Development Goal 15.

Wildlife trafficking is a growing problem that harms animals and threatens the environment, society, and the economy. It supports an illegal trade and harms people’s health. The ESA works with international agreements like the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to stop illegal activities and protect wildlife. People who break these laws may face fines as low as $500 or as high as $25,000 per violation, or up to six months in prison. However, these penalties are not strong enough, and the laws have many exceptions, such as for scientific research, economic hardship, or pre-existing trade rules.

The Coalition Against Wildlife Trafficking (CAWT) was formed in 2005 by the U.S. State Department. It is a group of governments and organizations that work together to stop the illegal trade of wildlife and its products. CAWT includes six countries and thirteen international groups. Its actions focus on raising awareness to reduce demand, improving law enforcement to stop the supply of illegal goods, and gaining support from leaders.

The Freeland Foundation and TRAFFIC Southeast Asia partnered with the Thai government and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to create the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN) in 2005. ASEAN-WEN helps countries in Southeast Asia work together to enforce laws against wildlife crime. It is the largest wildlife law enforcement group in the region and is supported by the United States Agency for International Development.

The South Asian Enforcement Network (SAWEN) was created with help from CAWT and TRAFFIC. In 2008, environment ministers from South Asian countries agreed to form SAWEN with support from the South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme. SAWEN includes eight countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) focuses on stopping the supply of illegally traded wildlife. It works to ensure that trade does not harm endangered species. For example, the Vicuna, a small animal related to camels, was hunted heavily for its wool and nearly disappeared. After CITES protected the Vicuna, its population grew to about 350,000 by 2008.

By region

Wildlife smuggling hubs in Asia include:

In Cambodia, U.S. prosecutors filed charges in 2022 about a plan to export wild-caught crab-eating macaques as if they were bred in captivity for use in medical research. This plan used documents from CITES, which led to questions about how permits and oversight are handled in the country.

In Australia, the trade of wildlife is controlled by Part 13A of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. This law also carries out rules from CITES and the UN Biodiversity Convention about protecting wildlife and species at risk when they are imported.

Latin America has many types of plants and animals, making it a target for wildlife smuggling. Ecuador has a lot of biodiversity. In northern Ecuador, the Yasuní National Park and the nearby Waorani Ethnic Reserve cover about 1,770 square miles. These areas are home to around 4,000 plant species, many animals like the giant river otter, more than 400 fish species, and over 500 bird species. In comparison, the United States has 900 bird species. Birds like the scarlet macaw, which has bright red, blue, yellow, and white feathers, are often smuggled and sold as pets. Animals taken illegally in Latin America are often sent to Europe, the United States, or Japan. Even though laws exist to stop wildlife smuggling, limited resources make conservation efforts less of a priority.

China has been involved in wildlife trafficking, which is another part of its illegal activities in Mexico. These activities also include drug trafficking and other organized crimes.

The Lacey Act of 1900 is a U.S. law that forbids trading wildlife, fish, and plants that were taken, kept, moved, or sold illegally, including endangered species. In 2022, the Big Cat Public Safety Act was passed. This law requires licenses to keep large exotic cats like lions and tigers and bans cub petting, which is a business that encouraged illegal trade of endangered animals. This issue was highlighted in a popular TV show called Tiger King.