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Background information on Illegal Wildlife Trade
Gil, the gila monster introduced us to the unfortunate world of illegal wildlife trading. The fact is, the commercial trade of wildlife is a multi-billion dollar business that threatens the survival of many species and results in the inhumane treatment of billions of animals each year. Interpol estimates the extent of the trade at $10 - $20 billion dollars annually. The international trade in wildlife is said to be the second largest illegal trade in volume, second only to narcotics and followed by arms and ammunition (although there is no hard data supporting this claim). It should be stated that not all wildlife trade is illegal. When done in a sustainable way, wildlife trade can be legitimate with little consequence to the environment and wildlife populations.
Illegal wildlife trade involves capturing or harvesting wildlife from their natural habitats and selling them as wildlife parts, products, or living organisms for pets or landscaping.
Parts and products can include: exotic leather and fur for clothing; soccer balls, purses, and shoes from elephants, kangaroo, cats, foxes, coyote, crocodiles, alligators, ostrich, eels and sharks; Also ornamental items such as, ivory jewelry, sea turtle shell cases, snail shells, and matted butterflies. Products can also include illegal harvest of food items from monkeys, apes, turtles, frogs, bear paws, fish, lobster, crab, shrimp, clams, and oysters. Finally wildlife parts are taken from tiger bones, rhino horns, deer antlers, and bear gall bladders for use in medicines.
The wildlife trade business also removes living plants and animals from their natural habitats for the pet trade, biomedical research, teaching, stocking game farms and hunting ranches, zoos, safari parks, and for food. Plants are taken for use in landscaping, food, and medicines.
This business occurs in every corner of the Earth. The United Sates is the largest consumer of wildlife and wildlife products. Sadly, as this market becomes more lucrative, nations rich in wildlife have been unable to control the business of wildlife trade. 40% of vertebrate animals that are endangered and threatened with extinction have been brought to that point by the illegal wildlife trade.
The trade is inherently inhumane and without ethical boundaries. Animals are often poisoned, trapped or snared, and even bludgeoned to death. Their parts are often removed even before they are dead. Other animals are also often killed when animals destined for trade are removed as in the case of monkeys being removed for the pet trade whose mothers are killed for easier removal of her offspring.
Exotic and fragile plants are often harvested to be transported to far off locations only to be killed by inhospitable climate, soil, and treatment leaving an ecosystem in ruins as birds, mammals, and insects scramble for alternative shelter after plants are removed. Seed germination may discontinue leaving once lush environments barren and uninhabitable.
Organizations throughout the world are working towards managing this unfortunate business. The United Nations addressed the issue in 2009 at the Convention of International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES). With 170 member countries or parties policies, agreements, and organizations are developed to help fight this growing and lucrative industry. Consumers also have a responsibility to consider the conservation and humane problems caused by wildlife trade when making purchasing decisions. All ecosystems are fragile. Removal of any organism without careful consideration can offset entire food webs and the interrelationships of environmental systems which affect plants, animals, and humans.