Illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade is affecting all of us - what
can we do about it?

Date:
October 13, 2021
Source:
University of Helsinki
Summary:
Illegal or unsustainable wildlife trade affects biodiversity,
ecosystem services, people's livelihood, and economies all over
the world.

Worldwide experts warn about the perils related to this activity
and provide a roadmap for curbing its growth.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Plants, animals, fungi, microorganisms, and products derived from them
are traded all around the world for various purposes such as provision
of food, medicine, ornament, fashion, and furniture. They can also be
traded live as pets, research or for exhibitions in zoos, aquaria and
botanical gardens.


========================================================================== Wildlife can also play different social and economic roles for local communities, be harvested, and consumed locally, or be passed along a
complex multinational trade chain.

"When people think about wildlife trade, they may think about ivory
smuggling or the commerce in wild pets. But wildlife trade is more present
in our daily lives than people imagine. For example, the timber that was
used to make the table where your family has dinner may be a product of
the wildlife trade," says Caroline Fukushima, researcher at the Finnish
Museum of Natural History (Luomus), University of Helsinki.

The trade affects also other species, including us.

Wildlife trade can be legal, illegal, or unregulated, sustainable,
or unsustainable.

"However, people need to be aware that legally trade does not necessarily
mean 'sustainably produced or traded'. Illegal or unsustainable wildlife
trade (IUWT) represents one of the five major drivers of biodiversity
loss and extinction at global scales," Fukushima says.



========================================================================== Besides the target species themselves, IUWT often also affects species
with which they interact in their native or introduced range. Ultimately,
the illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade affects the ecosystem
services on which other species, including our own, depend. Often other
species are in fact the main losers in the process, even if these go
largely unnoticed.

"Invasive alien species, zoonotic diseases, connection with corruption
and crime networks, negative repercussions on the local and global
economy, and promotion of social, economic, and environmental injustice,
are some of the many negative consequences of wildlife trade that is
not well managed and regulated," says Pedro Cardoso, also from Luomus,
one of the researchers leading the publications.

Cooperation is urgently needed An international group of conservation biologists, activists, enforcers, practitioners, and other actors have
built on the manifesto "World Scientists' Warning to Humanity," issued
by the Alliance of World Scientists. The group wants to review illegal
and unsustainable wildlife trade and alert us on how it can negatively
impact our own well-being.

The group discusses the challenges faced when tackling illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade and propose some actions to overcome
them. They also highlight the urgent need for more cooperation between
actors and disciplines to curb its negative consequences.



========================================================================== "Understanding the cultural roots and drivers of wildlife consumption
and taking into account its cultural and social nuances are essential
to develop conservation strategies that are more likely to succeed,"
says Caroline Fukushima.

The authors point out that it is still necessary to measure the scope,
scale, and impact of wildlife trade on all of biodiversity. Strategies to
curb IUWT depend on accurate and reliable knowledge about biodiversity, generated by scientists and other experts including citizen scientists
and conservationists working along local communities with international
and local NGO (non- governmental organizations).

Curbing illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade needs the engagement
of different disciplines such as sociology, economy, criminology,
social marketing, and computer science. Its human dimension needs to be considered in all phases of conservation action.

There are already many technologies and tools available for analyzing,
tracing, monitoring, and curbing unsustainable and illegal wildlife
trade. However, its rise shows that only law enforcement is not enough
to stop such activity.

Education is the key factor to change consumer's behavior. Everyone
should engage in fighting unsustainable or illegal wildlife trade.

What are the risks of illegal or unsustainable wildlife trade (IUWT)?
* It is one of the major drivers of extinction.

* Species loss may cause a cascade of effects on other dependent
species
and their ecosystems.

* It facilitates invasions by species from other regions, and the
diseases
they may carry.

* IUWT, including illegal logging, affects climate regulation,
pollination
of crops, and other ecosystem services.

* It supplies live animal markets, facilitating outbreaks of
zoonotic and
vector-borne diseases that can lead to global pandemics.

* Criminal networks are deeply involved in wildlife trafficking,
which also
fuels corruption in range, transit and consumer states.

* It can impact the economies of local communities that depend upon
wildlife or on the ecosystem services wildlife provides.

* IUWT and associated criminal activities, including tax evasion
and money
laundering, can affect the global economy.

What should we do to reduce or eliminate illegal or unsustainable wildlife trade? As a conservationist, a policy maker, or an enforcement officer:
* Ensure sustainability of the trade.

* Understand the cultural and social aspects of the demand for
wildlife,
and design nuanced strategies to curb IUWT.

* Listen to, engage with and facilitate leadership by local
communities
that depend on wildlife trade.

* Ask for better regulation and surveillance of online wildlife
commerce.

* Ensure that the legislation of your country protects wildlife
from IUWT.

* Support scientific research and use it as the framework of
conservation
actions and policies.

* Make technologies and other resources to curb illegal wildlife trade
accessible to all.

* Create an international network of professionals with expertise in
related fields including biology, forensics, and trade regulation.

As a consumer:
* Choose sustainably sourced, legally obtained products and promote
initiatives designed to ensure that trade is sustainable.

* Demand political will and funding for initiatives that can curb
IUWT.

* Raise awareness about IUWT and reduce or change wildlife consumption
habits that harm biodiversity.

* Don't buy illegal/unsustainable wildlife or its products, be it in
markets, touristic centers, online, elsewhere.

* Think twice before liking or sharing social media posts depicting
unnatural human-wildlife interactions.

* Don't support tourist attractions or volunteer opportunities
that offer
human-wildlife interactions.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Helsinki. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal References:
1. Pedro Cardoso, Kofi Amponsah-Mensah, Joa~o P. Barreiros, Jamie
Bouhuys,
Hubert Cheung, Alisa Davies, Sabrina Kumschick, Stuart
J. Longhorn, Carlos A. Marti'nez-Mun~oz, Thais Q. Morcatty,
Gretchen Peters, William J. Ripple, Emmanuel Rivera-Te'llez,
Oliver C. Stringham, Adam Toomes, Patricia Tricorache, Caroline
S. Fukushima. Scientists' warning to humanity on illegal or
unsustainable wildlife trade. Biological Conservation, 2021;
109341 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109341
2. Caroline S.Fukushima et al. Challenges and perspectives on tackling
illegal or unsustainable wildlife trade. Biological Conservation,
2021 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109342 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211013104605.htm

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