Date: September 22, 2016
Source: Lancaster University
Responses to illegal wildlife trade need to be more nuanced and
not only focused on high-profile species if we are to truly tackle the problem,
say researchers.
Across the globe, the illegal wildlife trade threatens thousands of species,
including fish, fungi and plants, along with the more familiar 'charismatic'
animals such as tigers, rhinoceroses and elephants.
Despite widespread recognition of the problem, science and policy has
concentrated on a few high-profile species.
A Lancaster University-led study, published in Frontiers in Ecology and
the Environment, argues there is a need to recognize the diversity of
products -- from medicinal plants to elephant tusks -- as well as the complex
and diverse networks of people involved in the trade. It provides some of the
terms and tools that policy makers and researchers need to better making these
distinctions.
The international research team reviewed trade across species and regions,
highlighting seven examples where more detailed analyses of illegal trade
revealed diverse potential solutions. These ranged from education targeting
gardeners who unintentionally buy rare orchids, to supporting legal trade in
farmed rhino horn to reduce lucrative black market prices.
Bruno considers the collard peccary (Pecari tajucu) brought back by his
uncle from a hunting trip, Arapiuns River, Brazil. In this reserve small-scale
hunting for household consumption is legal, while hunting with dogs or for sale
is illegal. Credit: Rachel Carmenta
Dr Jacob Phelps of the Lancaster Environment Centre led the study. He said:
"For many species, our existing approaches to illegal trade are failing.
We tend to discuss illegal wildlife trade as it were a single phenomenon, and
seek to resolve it with the same types of interventions -- usually new laws
that forbid trade.
"In fact, I would argue that trade in African ivory, rare Burmese
turtles for pets and South American peccaries for meat have comparatively
little in common. We need better analyses to inform more tailored strategies
for responding to each of these cases."
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