The Illegally Traded Elephant in the Room: Species Terrorism & Combating Illegal Wildlife Trade

The illegal wildlife trade has been a dilemma for decades and remains prevalent globally – international intervention is required now. While most countries participate in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (“CITES”), not all countries have the same approaches to combating the illegal wildlife trade. Unique approaches can be beneficial because each illegally traded species requires a different response, and countries with limited resources can also participate. However, the lack of a unified response hinders the global fight against the illegal wildlife trade. While traditional methods to combat crime, such as passing laws, are an excellent place to start, they are meaningless without effective enforcement and prosecution. Due to the complexity of the illegal wildlife trade, the lack of understanding severely hinders the ability to effectively combat it. This comment begins with reasons why the illegal wildlife trade is critical to confront. This comment continues with illustrating what CITES is, CITES’s shortcomings, and other international organizations that aid in the fight against illegal wildlife trade. This comment then details the potential approaches to decrease the demand for unsustainable wildlife products that come from endangered species. This comment will explain the community-based natural resource management (“CBNRM”) approach and how it can empower communities and sustain biodiversity. This comment will then discuss insufficient data collection and submission to CITES and how both can increase to aid in the global fight against wildlife crimes. This comment will explore how a lack of enforcement on a national level affects the country and affects the world. This comment will conclude with recommendations on strengthening the fight against illegal wildlife trade using demand reducing programs, CBNRM where appropriate, increased shared data, and more vigorous enforcement.