Wildlife Trade: Destruction & Conservation

Wildlife Trade:Destruction & Conservation

Wildlife trade

Wildlife trade is any sale or exchange of wild animal and plant resources by people.

Reasons• Food

• Fuel

• Fodder

• Building materials

• Clothing and ornaments

• Sport

• Health care

• Religion

• Collections

Scale:$323,000,000,000

Problems• Consumption

• Way of earning cash

• Danger of extinction

• Undermines management of natural resources

• Massive economic losses

• Invasive species major cause of recent extinctions

Hotspots

PoachingPoaching is the illegal taking of wild plants or animals contrary to local and international conservation and wildlife management laws.

Violations of hunting laws and regulations are normally punishable by law and, collectively, such violations are known as poaching.

Illegal / in violation • The game or fish is not in season.• The poacher does not possess a valid

permit.• The poacher is illegally selling the

animal, animal parts or plant for a profit.

• The animal is being hunted outside of legal hours.

• The hunter used an illegal weapon for that animal.

• The animal or plant is on restricted land.

• The right to hunt this animal is claimed by somebody.

• The type of bait is inhumane. (e.g. food unsuitable for an animal's health)

• The means used are illegal (for example, baiting a field while hunting quail or other animals, using spotlights to stun or paralyze deer, or hunting from a moving vehicle, watercraft, or aircraft).

• The animal or plant is protected by law or that it has been listed as extinct or

• The animal or plant has been tagged by a researcher.

Commercial Poaching for Illegal Trade

Law enforcement weak / corrupt

Bushmeat Crisisforest referred to as 'the bush‘

wildlife / meat derived from it is referred to as 'bushmeat”

• elephant• gorilla / chimpanzee• forest antelope (duikers)• crocodile

Commercial hunting

Primary source of animal protein

‘free’ resource• food and trade item

• ritual

• status symbol

Solutions• Economic and Protein Alternatives

• Education & Training

• Engaging with Key Decision Makers

• Information Management

• Law Enforcement

• Private Sector Collaboration

• Protected Areas

• Public Awareness

• Research & Monitoring

• Sustainable Finance

National ParksNational parks are the cornerstones of most countries' conservation strategies, set up to protect charismatic creatures from hunting, poaching and habitat decline.

Africa's national parks cover around 15 per cent of the continent, or five million square kilometres – an area more than ten times that of the UK. They're home to buffalo, wildebeest, antelope, cheetah, leopard and elephant to name just a few.

Numbers declining

• Over-hunting• Changing

climate• Lack of

monitoring• Poorness• Expanding

populations

Solution

Funding

ShowGabon [3:07 mins.]

Africa Peace Parks Foundation [13:49 mins.]