Where is animal trafficking most common?
These areas are called “wildlife trade hotspots.” They include China’s international borders, trade hubs in East/Southern Africa and Southeast Asia, the eastern borders of the European Union, some markets in Mexico, parts of the Caribbean, parts of Indonesia and New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands.
How many animals are trafficked per year?
Accurate data about the illegal trade in animals and plants are hard to come by. Brazil is the Latin American nation with the most comprehensive information; its Institute of Environment and Natural Resources cites estimates that at least 12 million wild animals are poached there each year.
What is the most illegally traded animal?
Pangolins
Pangolins are believed to be the world’s most trafficked mammal, accounting for as much as 20% of all illegal wildlife trade. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), more than a million pangolins were poached in the decade prior to 2014.
What animals are trafficked in the US?
Pythons are among the most trafficked animals. Mammals and reptiles were most frequently recorded in the data we analyzed, but birds were also found on a regular basis. Pythons, crocodiles and alligators are very well represented in the illegal trade, mostly for leather products made from their skin.
Why is animal trafficking seen as a problem?
Endangering species Trafficking in wildlife can diminish species populations and cause local or even global extinction. When endangered species are involved, any poaching or harvesting of that species to supply the illegal trade risks the species becoming extinct.
What is the key driver of wildlife crime?
It addressed the three main drivers of wildlife crime: consumption of illegal or endangered wildlife products, poor or ineffective legal or policy frameworks, and illegal financial flows.
How many animals are killed illegally each year?
Every year poachers take more than 38 million animals from the wilds of Brazil to meet the global demand for illegal wildlife. Most are birds destined to become caged pets for people in Rio de Janeiro, Sydney, Madrid or New York. Biodiversity in Latin America has decreased by approximately 83 percent since the 1970s.
Where are animals trafficked from?
Europe, the Middle East, China, and other countries in Southeast Asia are all major hubs and destination markets for wildlife trafficking. The United States and the United Kingdom are “among the largest ivory trading countries in the world,” wrote Deborah Cao in a 2020 article for Animal Sentience.
What is the most trafficked mammal?
The Pangolin is The Most Trafficked Mammal in the World
- Despite being heavily protected, pangolins are trafficked more than any other mammal in the world. (
- All 8 species of the heavily trafficked pangolin are at risk of extinction.
What are the types of animal that are widely trafficked?
Recent surveys by WWF and TRAFFIC have identified 10 of the most widely trafficked animals in the Golden Triangle. These top 10 animals are: the tiger, elephant, pangolin, bear, rhinoceros, serow, helmeted hornbill, gaur, leopard, and turtles.
How can we stop animal trafficking?
Here is what you can do to help:
- Ask before you buy.
- Stick to certified products.
- Choose sustainable, eco-friendly pets.
- Eat only sustainable seafood.
- Petition your local government to stop or restrict legal ivory trade.
- Pledge your support.
- Report any illegal wildlife trade.
Why do people poach animals?
Poaching comes down to the demand for wild animals. The demand is global but is particularly strong in China and other parts of Asia, where people typically use poached animals to create traditional medicines, to serve as delicacies or to keep as exotic pets.