Wildlife Trade

Thailand’s pet dealers are supplying large numbers of Madagascar’s most threatened reptiles and amphibians to local and international markets, despite unanswered questions over the legality of the imports. This includes almost 600 reptiles and amphibians found during a 2011 investigation.

Few places on Earth can match the breathtaking splendor of the Eastern
Himalayas. The land boasts the world’s highest mountain peaks and tallest
grasslands, tranquil forests, savannas and rich alpine meadows. These diverse
habitats are home to irreplaceable species, many under threat of extinction,
including Bengal tigers, greater one-horned rhinos, Asian elephants, snow
leopards and red pandas. Read full factsheet (PDF, 422KB)

TRAFFIC North America Newsletter 

TRAFFIC provides a free semi-annual newsletter for enforcement agencies and others interested in wildlife trade. The newsletter highlights enforcement actions and investigations throughout North America and keeps officials informed of the latest trends and latest directives from the CITES Secretariat. Read past issues of the newsletter

TRAFFIC reports on wildlife trade

• CITES CAFTA-DR Gap Analysis: English, Spanish (PDF, 1.1MB) This report by TRAFFIC is a review undertaken as part of a US Department of State–funded effort to better understand the needs to build capacity for better implementation of the CITES Convention in Central America and the Dominican Republic.
•  Nowhere to Hide: The Trade in Sumatran Tiger (PDF, 935KB)  February 2008 - A comprehensive survey of tiger poaching and trade in Sumatra

• 'Night Time Spinach' Conservation and livelihood implications of wild meat use in refugee situations in north-western Tanzania (PDF, 895KB) January 2008 - This TRAFFIC report finds the lack of meat in refugee rations in East Africa is causing a flourishing illegal trade in wild meat, threatening wildlife populations and creating a food security issue for rural communities.

• Trading Tails: Linkages between Russian Salmon Fisheries and East Asian Markets  (PDF, 1.8MB) November 2007 - This study is a component of a larger project to conserve Russian salmon. The study describes in detail the trade of Russian salmon through East Asian markets, identifying means to spur demand for legally sourced products and discouraging Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing in the Russian Federation.

• The Great Salmon Run: Competition Between Wild and Farmed Salmon November 2007 - This report examines economic and policy issues related to wild and farmed salmon in North America, reflecting on important policy debates ranging from environmental protection to trade. 
  • Table of contents and Executive Summary (PDF, 1.1MB)
  • Full report (PDF, 1.8MB)
  • Report cover (PDF, 565KB)

• Sturgeons and the 14th meeting of the Conference of Parties to CITES (PDF, 290KB) June 2007 - A TRAFFIC briefing paper for sturgeons and the 14th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES, hosted at The Hague, Netherlands, 2007.

• Conservation of Spiny Dogfish: A Role for CITES (PDF, 628KB) November 2006 - This report examines the characteristics of the fisheries for trade in spiny dogfish and, based on those characteristics, assesses the issues surrounding the implementation of an Appendix II listing in CITES to provide conservation of the species.

• Tackling the Ivories (PDF, 1MB) September 2004 - A study of both legal and illegal ivory markets in the United States. It is the first comprehensive review of the U.S. ivory market since the global ban on commercial trade was imposed in 1989.

• Collection, Trade, and Regulation of Reptiles and Amphibians of the Chihuahuan Desert Ecoregion (PDF, 1.4MB) August 2004 - This study by TRAFFIC found that the demand for reptiles and amphibians including horned lizards, false corals, other snakes and lizards, turtles and frogs is prevalent. Although Mexico prohibits almost all exportation of reptiles and amphibians, these species are sold in pet markets and shops, at intersections of roads, or from the side of the highway in Mexico.

• A Tale of Two Cities A Comparative Study of Traditional Chinese Medicine Markets in San Francisco and New York City (PDF, 421KB) May 2004 - An undercover survey of traditional Chinese medicine shops in New York City and San Francisco found that illegal products made from endangered species are widely available.

• Fading Footprints: The Killing and Trade of Snow Leopards (PDF, 1.32MB) August 2003 - A technical report found a dramatic decline in big cats in many countries over the previous decade.

•  Caviar and Conservation (PDF, 1.49MB) May 2003 - This technical report on the status of North American sturgeon and paddlefish found that with the Caspian Sea fisheries near collapse, the global caviar market was turning its attention to North American fisheries, which alone cannot supply world demand.

• Ancient Traditions... New Alternatives (PDF, 2.34MB) February 2003 - This publication provides an overview of the threats to wildlife from Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The popularity of some TCM cures has helped drive certain animal species - including tigers and rhinos - close to extinction.

• Prickly Trade Part 1 - U.S. cactus trade (PDF, 822KB) and Part 2 - Mexican cactus trade (PDF, 335KB) January 2003  - A two-part technical report on the commercial trade of Chihuahuan Desert cactus shows that demand for wild cactus and other rare plants by landscapers and plant collectors may soon surpass supply.

• Patagonian Toothfish: Are Conservation and Trade Measures Working? (PDF, 552KB) November 2001 - Trade analysis of the Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing of the threatened Patagonian toothfish (aka Chilean Seabass).

• Trawling in the Mist: Industrial Fisheries in the Russian Part of the Bering Sea  (PDF, 1.6MB)  August 2001 - This report presents the findings of a study on industrial fisheries in the Russian part of the Bering Sea region, with a focus on activities off the Kamchatka Peninsula. Strategies and recommendations are made to address unsustainable and illegal harvest and trade of the marine resources.

• Mahogany Matters (PDF, 1.20MB) October 2000 - This technical report on the mahogany trade in Latin America focuses on big-leaf mahogany. The most traded and coveted of the three American mahogany species, much of the trade in the luxury timber has been done unsustainably and illegally.

• Making CITES work: Examples of Effective Implementation and Enforcement (PDF, 659KB) June 1997 - Presenting examples of the positive moves that have been made by both governments and agencies to improve implementation and enforcement of CITES and associated national laws and regulations

Snapshots

The TRAFFIC North America Fisheries Snapshot series utilizes scientific data to link economic and conservation concerns when emerging data has suggested that commercial fishing pressure may threaten the viability of the fishery.

• Menhaden Snapshot (PDF, 1MB)
• Monkfish Fisheries Snapshot (PDF, 1MB)
• References and Data for Monkfish Snapshot on Trade and Conservation Issues (PDF, 1MB)

Wildlife trade - frequently asked questions

• Mahogany Trade
• Medicinal Plant Trade
• Parrot Trade
• Primate Trade
• Reptile Trade
• Rhinoceros Trade
• Traditional Chinese Medicine Trade
• Tiger Trade
• Bear Trade
• Caviar Trade
• Elephant Ivory Trade

Learn more about CITES, IUCN, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and others we work with in the fight against illegal wildlife trade