In the last 15 years, poaching and the illegal wildlife trade, and the sale of endangered and vulnerable animals have accelerated.
This illegal process is responsible for eradicating and removing millions of wild animals and plants annually.
As part of these efforts, traffickers illegally capture irreplaceable, vulnerable, endangered, and nearly extinct species from the planet – everything from rare butterflies, elephants, hummingbirds, sea turtles, and mahogany trees.
These items are then sold as a variety of items in the illegal trade market – items such as meat, medicine, décor, and even as exotic pets.
Despite the rampant, continued, and violent act of animal poaching, there are many things that poachers do not want you to know about their multi-billion-dollar criminal industry – eight of which include:
Animals Often Die in Transit
As a result of this brutal practice, animals such as birds and reptiles usually die in transit after being stuffed into hair curlers or taped into suitcases, as an example.
For example, experts estimate that approximately 75% of parrots that are captured in and trafficked out of Mexico die in transit.
Trafficking Wildlife Threatens Human Health as Well
While it is clear how the illegal wildlife trade harms animals, many do not know that it threatens human life as well.
This is due to the way it leaves open the possibility of humans contracting viruses and pathogens that can be transmitted from animals.
In addition to issues of health, illegal wildlife trafficking can also undermine the stability of government regimes due to the unprecedented levels of corruption.
Species Become Extinct and Decline in Numbers
Due to the illegal wildlife trade, the number of varieties of animal species is also declining at a rapid rate – if they haven’t been rendered extinct already.
For example, since 2018, Spix’s macaws have been extinct as a result of the international pet trade. Northern white rhinos have also been impacted – given that the last male of the variety died in 2018 as well.
Other animals impacted are Yangtze giant softshell turtles (the last one dying in 2019) and cacti, which have been illicitly shipped in the international trade.
Experts agree that many of these patterns – especially among mammals and birds in particular – are due to the practice of overharvesting.
In response to this alarming depletion of wildlife, inspectors and law enforcement officers have made it a priority to disrupt these activities and catch any persons involved in these illegal activities.
Tourists Can Unknowingly Purchase Illegal Wildlife Products
Another thing that poachers don’t want you to know is that as a traveler, you may be unknowingly participating in the illegal trade – especially if you are traveling to places such as the Caribbean, Alaska, and various places in Asia.
How, you might ask? By purchasing souvenirs that might have been generated from endangered species.
To avoid this happening to you, make sure to be informed about these souvenir practices in the area you are visiting, and then determine that you are not purchasing these items before you bring them home.
When Animals are Removed from the Wild They Can’t Be Returned
Even if law enforcement is able to rescue animals before they are illegally captured and traded, they may have an incredibly hard time returning them to the wild.
To do so, officials would need to know their original location, how to ensure their return there in a safe manner, and how to protect the humans who are making that return possible.
All these steps are nearly impossible. Instead, this is where zoos and other wildlife rescue groups come in.
And in some extreme cases where captured animals cannot be released or properly cared for in captivity, the decision typically is to euthanize them.
Minimizing Demand is the Most Effect Way to Stop Poaching
Poachers especially do not want the public to know that the most effective way to stop the illegal trade is to stop any demand.
While law enforcement is an effective tool, it cannot stop the illegal trade and sale of wildlife alone.
Other institutions that help in this process are the USFWS Combating Wildlife Trafficking program, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service International Affairs program and even the San Diego Zoo Global.
In response to the role of these organizations, a lot of the illegal wildlife trade has now moved online through social media platforms.
If you believe that wildlife trafficking is occurring, you can play a role in minimizing demand by reporting traffickers.
Illegal Pets are Hard to Take Care Of
Most animals who have been processed through the illegal trade can also be extremely hard to care for.
To ensure that you are not participating in the trade, engage in conscious purchases when seeking out a pet. You can do so by ensuring that your pet is a species protected under international law, and their species is not prohibited under state law.
Another strategy to ensure your animal has not been illegally obtained is to request documentation.
The International Treaty Called CITES Makes Trafficking Harder
Another tool to curb poaching and illegal trade is CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).
This international treaty, which was originally signed in 1973, helps protect wildlife from illegal trade – though this only happens if its policies are fully implemented and enforced across the globe.
While poachers would prefer you were unaware of this information, knowing these details and how to protect wildlife will go a long way toward stopping illegal activity.
