Researcher Urges Public to ‘Cut the Demand’
In the popular imagination, poachers and smugglers of rare insects, animals, and flora are characterized as opportunistic and heartless individuals, mindlessly looting humanity’s shared natural heritage for their own lucrative gain.
But a new and nefarious breed of adversary has appeared: This one carefully reads scientific papers to locate newly discovered species in the wild, and takes steps to reduce their numbers so they can be more valuable on the market.
Combatting these sophisticated criminals will require changes in literature and law enforcement, says Prof. Pedro Cardoso, an expert on illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade (IUWT). For instance, he says, “it has reached the point where many researchers have given up describing the precise location of the [rare] species and instead will just give a general location—in the range of 100 kilometers from a city, for instance.”
Law enforcement, which is already working to curb the lucrative market for illegal wildlife trade, will have to step up their efforts, too.
The public also has a role to play. Professor Cardoso and team, in reviewing best practices for mitigating IUWT, concluded that there’s not enough international willpower to end the practice.
One solution is to educate all sectors of the public about this tragic problem. “It is necessary to measure the scope, scale and impact of IUWT for all the branches of the tree of life,” the researchers say.
Journal Articles Unwittingly ‘Advertise’ Poachers’ Prey
Prof. Cardoso—an expert in the conservation of scorpions, insects, and tarantulas and other spiders—explains how journals aimed at fellow scientists can become unwitting advertising brochures for unscrupulous poachers.
Poachers are typically part of organized international crime gangs that serve clients who crave novelty.
“The poachers and traffickers are aware of everything researchers are doing,” says Prof. Cardoso.
“The poachers and traffickers are aware of everything researchers are doing,” says Prof. Cardoso, a researcher and curator at the Finnish Museum of Natural History in the University of Helsinki.
As soon as a species is described in a journal article as obviously rare, the poachers realize that bringing it to the market will make it valuable, as no one will have it yet, he says.
The poachers find a way to locate the target species population and then exterminate a large part of the population, the professor says.
Weeks later, remaining specimens can be seen on the market. Valuable ones can go for $300-$500 per specimen, he adds.
For example, the poachers may harvest many hundreds of insects, but decimate the local pollution, making recovery of the targeted species almost impossible. Their yield is put into small plastic bags and either mailed or carried in a suitcase to their destination. Some 80% to 90% of the insects are likely to die in transit, Prof. Cardoso says. “It is quite appalling these things are happening.”
Illegal Wildlife Market is Massive
Prof. Cardoso has co-authored an influential paper on the challenges and perspectives of tackling illegal or unsustainable wildlife trade.
Wildlife scholars and ecologists already know that the illicit market is massive. In 2020, estimates of its value ranged from $7 billion to $18 billion.
Since COVID-19 restrictions ended on international travel, the trafficking problem is believed to have expanded. Moreover, the internet has revealed ways for the trade to grow that were unimaginable a couple of decades ago.
Prof. Cardoso explains at least one approach that can take the sting out of smuggling—“flood the market” with sustainably bred, legal animals and plants.
This tactic reduces the profit margin for traders, as the “rare” creatures and goods become commonplace and cheap.
An example of this approach is seen in Mexico.
There used to be a large illegal tarantula trade across Mexico. Now, many families—including ex-poachers—have become “tarantula farmers” and breed the spider as a main source of legal income.
The success of this approach is difficult to predict, however. The illegal spider trafficking has persisted because some clients want a fully developed spider from the wild rather than one that is legally farmed but smaller.
Also, what works in limiting the illegal tarantula trade won’t necessarily work for other species.
“It is really taxon [species, family, class, etc.] and context-dependent because what works for spiders doesn’t work for rhinos or orchids or corals,” says Prof. Cardoso. Moreover, he adds, “what works in Europe, which is generally a receiver of illegally traded species, doesn’t work in different markets, such as South America or Asia, which are generally donors of the species.”
Prof. Cardoso explains that he and his colleagues are discovering new species of spider not in their natural habitat but in the illegal European and North American pet markets.
Ironically, sometimes the traffickers end up helping the scientists.
Prof. Cardoso explains that he and his colleagues are discovering new species of spider not in their natural habitat but in the illegal European and North American pet markets.
These spiders are so rare they don’t even have a scientific name, he says. Again, lack of knowledge works both ways: The smugglers don’t know what they are smuggling, while law enforcement lacks full knowledge about the market for illegally traded species.
The Challenges of Enforcement
At the opposite end of the weight scale from tarantulas is the African elephant, whose population has fallen by almost a third since 2006, mainly due to high rates of illegal killing.
In a recent study, Timothy Kuiper from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, found that increases in the price of ivory is driving the illegal wildlife trade of elephants. Sadly, even enhanced law enforcement has had limited impact on these abhorrent crimes, as criminal syndicates switch to areas where apprehension is less likely.
In October 2022, Interpol, in cooperation with the World Customs Organization, seized tens of thousands of pieces of illegally sourced wildlife and timber through a mixture of routine inspections and targeted controls. They examined countless parcels, suitcases, vehicles, boats, and cargo transporters, often using sniffer dogs and X-ray scanners.
The shameful list of seizures included 119 big cats and other felines, thirty-four primates, and almost 780 kilograms (1,719 pounds) of elephant ivory.
The shameful list of seizures included 119 big cats and other felines, thirty-four primates, and almost 780 kilograms (1,719 pounds) of elephant ivory.
In India, 1,200 trafficked reptiles were discovered in transit, in cardboard boxes marked as ornamental fish, while in Namibia, authorities intercepted large amounts of timber being smuggled out of the region.
The smuggled creatures and goods are destined for a wide variety of purposes, from becoming “pet” tarantulas to use in folk medicine. Stolen timber turns into furniture and tiger skin into amulets. Every part of a bald eagle is federally protected, as its feathers are valued at hundreds of dollars; there is a $100,000 penalty and jail time for killing an eagle. Interpol has seized clothes made from reptile skins.
Technology employed at border controls can identify species being traded transnationally on a day-to-day basis. Border police can use standard DNA testing kits to identify whether the animal or goods being transported is legal.
This technology is invaluable: “It is not easy to identify from thousands of species of plants or animals which are being traded; after all, they are policemen, not botanists,” says Prof. Cardoso.
Illegal Wildlife Trade Affects Everyone
Some people might question why international agencies and governments are investing so heavily into curbing this illegal and unsustainable trade. But the answer is tied to the diversity of the world’s fauna and flora.
“Many species will be driven to extinction [by illegal poaching], and we might miss the medical importance of a species if we let this happen,” says Prof. Cardoso. “Preserving the species keeps our options open as any extinct species could be critical for our welfare.”
He adds that biodiversity loss and extinction of species can reduce the ecosystems services they provide, such as pollination, control of pests, and formation of soils.
“If we don’t have all the species, this will decrease our quality of life.”
Ultimately, he adds, whether the victims are large or small, animal or botanical, the solution to illegal wildlife trade lies with the consumer:
“This is a demand-and-supply dynamic, and the thing is to cut the demand,” says Prof. Cardoso. “If we make people realize if they buy a tarantula, if they buy an orchid, if they buy ivory or a snail, they are causing harm to the environment and are feeding traffickers, feeding poachers and entire illegal systems which have major repercussions.”
“The easiest solution is to … let people know if what they are buying was legally and sustainably obtained before they purchase.”
*Gordon Cairns is a freelance journalist and teacher of English and Forest Schools based in Scotland.