Wildlife trade  Sale and exchange of wild animals, plants, and products  Multi-billion dollar business driving species to brink of extinction  Much trade is legal, but significant portion is unmanaged and/or illegal -WWF

Parts and Products  Ornamental objects Elephant ivory jewelry Sea turtles shell cases Matted butterflies  Exotic leathers and fur Kangaroo skin soccer balls Cat, fox, and coyote fur coats Snake and lizard skin shoes

Live Wildlife  Food Reptiles, amphibians, fish  Zoos and safari parks Elephants, giraffes, rhinoceros, monkeys, birds  Biomedical research Primates, reptiles, fish  Pet Trade Birds, reptiles, amphibians

Conservation Problems  Wildlife-rich nations unable to control trade of wildlife.  40% of vertebrates endangered or threatened today, in part due to uncontrollable wildlife trade  Rarely enough funds to study conservation

Human Problems  Methods to capture and kill for the trade are inhumane  Poisoned, trapped, snared or bludgeoned  Trade in live wildlife results in injury and death of large % captured -HSUS

Wildlife Trade  Illegal trade- well organized crime Creates black markets Smuggling syndicates move and trade rarest animals

Ivory Poaching  Death rate from poaching throughout Africa is 8% per year  Unless more reinforcement occurs, large groups extinct by 2020  Illegal ivory trade-driven by markets in China and Japan  Demand risen in U.S. for knife handles and gun grips -ranks 2 nd behind China for marketplace for illegal ivory

Ivory Poaching  IFAW has found eBay accounts for majority of illegal ivory sold openly on web  DNA tools can determine which elephant population ivory came from  Can help to provide enforcement in specific areas where poaching is known to occur

Illegal Tiger Trade  Numbers have decreased dramatically due to poaching  Fewer than 3,500-4,000 tigers remain in Asia  The 5 existing subspecies all are critically endangered -HSUS

Illegal Tiger Trade  Most illegal tiger trade and poaching driven by illegal markets in China  China argued that tigers should be treated like crocodiles: farmed for bones and skin  Tiger farms- slaughter, entertainment

Video  An activist uses a video camera to expose what many would consider a grisly illegal wildlife trade in Myanmar uCQ

World Wildlife Fund  Plays important role in fighting illegal trade  50 years of environmental conservation.  “Human induced change.”  Works in conjunction with TRAFFIC and CITES

Methods of WWF  Global 200 ecoregions  Social, economic, and policy issues  Working with others  Creating harmony between humans and nature

TRAFFIC  World’s largest wildlife monitoring network  Protect wild animal and plant species  Promote international agreements and policies  Safeguard priority ecoregions

Methods of TRAFFIC  Mobilization of knowledge  Use of effective regulation  Use of positive economic incentives  Promotion of sustainable consumptive behaviors

CITES  CITES was established in the 1960’s  Ensuring that international trade of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival  Roughly 5000 species of animals and species of plants are protected

Methods of CITES  Control of international trade  Import, export, re-export and introduction from the sea  Designate one or more Management Authorities  Scientific Authorities advise on effects