In 2019, the illegal wildlife trade reached staggering levels. Pangolin scales and ivory were being trafficked in massive quantities from Africa to Asia, exposing a network of crime syndicates operating at an industrial scale. The sheer volume of these shipments marked a disturbing milestone, one that revealed the global reach …
In a promising new report, Teetering on the Brink: Japan’s online ivory trade, TRAFFIC finds that trade in ivory has dropped by as much as 100% this year on Japan’s largest online ivory trading platform, Yahoo Japan. It’s a highly welcome development considering the dangerous state of the nation’s ivory …
The new study, Insights from the Incarcerated: An assessment of the illicit supply chain in wildlife in South Africa, builds on earlier interviews with the same offenders to understand their motivations in engaging in wildlife crime. Almost three-quarters of the offenders had been imprisoned for rhino-related crimes, the remainder for …
Weak legislation and limited checks on private captive tiger facilities across the EU and the UK provide significant opportunity for tiger parts, such as skins and bones, to enter illegal trade, according to a joint report from WWF and TRAFFIC, Falling Through the System: The role of the European Union …
Illegal trafficking and unsustainable trade in wildlife are causing unprecedented declines in some species. They can also potentially lead to the spread of zoonoses, such as SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19. While the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora has been in force since 1975, …
Since the first reports of novel pneumonia (COVID-19) in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, there has been considerable discussion on the origin of the causative virus, SARS-CoV-23 (also referred to as HCoV-19). Infections with SARS-CoV-2 are now widespread, and as of 11 March 2020, 121,564 cases have been confirmed in more …
The illegal trade in endangered plants damages both the environment and local communities by threatening and destroying numerous species and important natural resources. There is very little research which systematically addresses this issue by identifying specific opportunities for crime. This article presents the results of an interdisciplinary study which brings …
Around the world, it is estimated that one in three women and girls will experience gender-based violence (GBV) during her lifetime (World Bank, 2019). Rooted in discriminatory gender norms and laws and shrouded in impunity, GBV occurs in all societies as a means of control, subjugation and exploitation that further …
A newly released study carried out by TRAFFIC and commissioned by the CITES Secretariat documents thousands of marine turtles and their parts found in seizures, in both physical and online markets in Indonesia, Malaysia and Viet Nam.
The illegal trade in bear parts for traditional medicine persists in Malaysia with a higher percentage of shops selling products claiming to contain some form of bear bile now, compared to four years ago. A new TRAFFIC study recorded bear-based medicines on offer in 69% of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) …
A new report finds that both legal and illegal trade are detrimental to the conservation of Africa’s iconic wildlife. Released by the London-based NGO World Animal Protection to coincide with World Animal Day, the report looks at the “Big 5” and “Little 5” most-in-demand species and how trade in those …
TRAFFIC's latest analysis on illegal trade of tortoises and freshwater turtles in India over a 10-year period i.e. September 2009–September 2019, has found at least 1,11,312 tortoises and freshwater turtles reported in illegal wildlife trade, that comes to more than 11,000 individual animals every year since 2009. Considering that a …
This compilation of case studies has been published in advance of the First Regional Conference on the Illegal Trade in Wildlife in Latin America held in Lima, Peru, on 3 and 4 October 2019. It highlights evidence from 15 countries across Latin America including Colombia, Peru, Mexico, Honduras, Guyana and …
Imports of wildlife regulated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) into Macau doubled in a decade and are poised to continue increasing, prompting the need for stronger legislation, enforcement, and awareness, according to a new TRAFFIC report. The study, “The State …
Wildlife trafficking is the illegal cross-border trade in live wildlife, wildlife products or their derivatives, both of fauna and flora. It is one of the most lucrative types of transnational crime along with the illegal trade in drugs, counterfeit goods and human trafficking. This report was prepared in advance of …
A study released by TRAFFIC highlights China’s experiences in addressing wildlife crime linked to the internet across the online and courier business sectors. Combating Wildlife Crime Linked to the Internet: Global Trends and China’s Experiences notes how, over the past decade, China’s law enforcement authorities, in particular, the Forest Police, …
There has been no respite for the heavily hunted Tiger with an estimated average of over 120 individuals seized each year over the past 19 years, a new TRAFFIC analysis revealed. Overall, the analysis estimated that 2,359 Tigers were seized from 2000 to 2018 across 32 countries and territories globally, …
The Policy brief summarizes the findings of an investigation into the effectiveness of policy interventions addressing illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade, including legislative and enforcement measures, measures to influence consumer behavior, trade policy responses and engagement of local communities. The scope of analysis includes both domestic and international wildlife trading …
Illegal wildlife trade (IWT) is devastating populations of iconic wildlife species such as rhinos and elephants, as well as lesser known ones such as pangolins, sturgeon and rosewood. As well as being a growing threat to conservation, IWT also has significant socioeconomic impacts. It undermines good governance and facilitates corruption …
Running Out of Time examines the fast-growing role of Vietnam as a hub for illegal wildlife trade and the country's failure to respond to the crisis. Despite the rapid proliferation of organised Vietnamese wildlife trafficking networks driving illegal wildlife trade globally, the response from the Government of Vietnam has been …
A new report from the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) shows that Ghana itself faces a harrowing rosewood problem of its own. BAN-BOOZLED: How Corruption and Collusion Fuel Illegal Rosewood Trade in Ghana reveals how despite a comprehensive ban in place since March 2019, the dry forests and rural communities of …
