The Hidden Cost of Wildlife Trafficking: Beyond Endangered Species

Talk about wildlife trafficking usually refers to the conservation of endangered species, the illegal hunting and the animals' danger of extinction. These are valid issues, however, the issue is much larger. The illegal wildlife trade has a devastating impact on whole ecosystems, poses disease threats, impacts local communities and facilitates organized crime networks. Every avenue in which wild animals are trafficked is accompanied by a long powerful chain of consequences which goes beyond the species themselves.

It is trafficking in wildlife and putting live animals up for sale – from birds sold as pets to dead ones sent for their skins to elephants being killed for their ivory. Familiarizing oneself with the underlying expenses is key not only to conserving wildlife but also the natural drives on which they rely and people. 

What Is Wildlife Trafficking?

Wild animal, plant and product trafficking is the illegal capture, collection, transportation and sale of wild animals, plants and products. It might include live pets sold as pets, animal skins worn in clothing or harnessed for making dolls, ivory parts used in crafting traditional jewels or traditional medicine and body parts used for traditional medicine-based art or ornaments.

The trade involves legal, illegal hunting, direct and indirect trade markets such as internet platforms and transportation routes, and unregulated trade routes. Some captured from the wild, some some that are bred, some some that trade via systems that can have illegal activity included.

While some species are more well-known than others, wildlife trafficking occurs among many more known and unknown species, such as pangolins, parrots, turtles, reptiles, primates and many others. The effects are not just to the animals themselves that are removed from their ecosystems. 

1. The Damage to Entire Ecosystems

The loss of biodiversity is one of the least mentioned hidden expenses on wildlife trafficking. All of the species provide a service to the ecosystem, the natural balance. When animals are taken out of it, it can bring changes that you cannot predict and difficult to change.

Forests can, for instance, be helped by elephant dispersal in seed propagation and establishment and by the formation of pathways. The impact can spread to affect patterns of vegetation and resources available to other species when the elephant population is reduced. Likewise, pangolins can be used for pest control in managing insects, and many birds and mammals play a fundamental role in seed set dispersal and forest regeneration.

Removing predators has an impact on the prey's numbers, and a reduction in pollinators can disrupt pollenization and plant reproduction. These are relations of interconnection between them. An individual species is seldom found alone, and the disappearance of one may impact many.

Wildlife trafficking thus poses further risks to more than just those animals themselves. It will degrade ecosystems, decrease biodiversity and interfere with natural ecosystem processes. 

2. The Risk of Disease Transmission

The crossing of wild animals from place to place and from country to country within and outside countries creates possibilities for the spread of disease among wild animals. Wild animals can be brought under control in a frustrating, unpleasant and unhygienic environment. Various species can live in close association and sometimes in the presence of domestic animals or human beings; providing conditions for the spread of pathogens.

However, wild animals may convey bacteria, parasites and viruses, albeit most of the time do not directly threaten the public. The risk is compounded if wildlife are captured, handled, transported or sold without adequate protections.

Disease can be spread to other members of the animal kingdom. Domestic stock, local fauna and some endangered species may be at risk from introduced species. Where species are already in trouble, an invasion may be an additional hardship on their road to recovery.

Public health measures are not a solution to illegal wildlife trafficking; however, efforts to reduce wildlife-human contact can help minimize some of the risks of the trafficking of wildlife. 

3. The Suffering Behind the Trade

But the work value of wildlife can blanch the suffering of the animals in the course of trafficking. Numerous are trapped, netted or otherwise affected in a manner that causes injury. Some are taken away from their parents at a young age and some are withdrawn from their surroundings where they have learned how to obtain food and fend for themselves against predators.

Animals can be shipped in small compartments with restricted access to food, drinking water, fresh air, treatment or medical care. Some of the dead ones are not found where they have gone. Survivors can experience malnutrition, infections, stress and permanent injury.

But even after animals have been seized, the problems persist. Captive animals which have been kept in captivity for a long time may find it difficult to survive their reintroduction into the wild. In some cases they need to be rehabilitated, specialised care given and have to be monitored before they can be released. Others might not be able to live on their own again.

Rescue operations alone, however, will not be enough: Capturing and exporting animals just for trade should be avoided in the first place as it is impossible to correct the suffering caused to the animals. 

4. The Impact on Local Communities

Healthy ecosystems support the livelihoods of millions of people. Communities depend on forests, rivers, grasslands, and coastal habitats for food, employment, cultural practices, and income from activities such as responsible tourism.

When wildlife populations decline, these benefits can also be affected. A reduction in animals that attract visitors, for instance, may harm communities that depend on wildlife tourism. Damage to ecosystems can also affect natural resources that people rely on for their daily needs.

The social consequences of trafficking can be equally serious. Illegal traders may exploit people facing poverty or limited employment opportunities, recruiting them to hunt, capture, transport, or sell wildlife. Those at the lowest levels of the trade may face significant legal and personal risks while receiving only a small share of the profits.

Effective conservation must therefore consider the needs of local communities. Providing alternative livelihoods, supporting community-led conservation, and involving residents in protecting wildlife can help reduce the economic pressures that make illegal trade attractive.

5. A Criminal Industry That Extends Beyond Wildlife

Millions of people depend on a healthy ecosystem for livelihood. Forests, rivers, grasslands, and coastal areas are essential to communities for food, jobs, culture, pastimes like responsible tourism and livelihoods.

These benefits may also be impacted by declines in wildlife populations. The negative impact of fewer animals coming to visit could negatively affect communities that rely on wildlife tourism. Ecosystems can also be damaged, influencing people's natural resources they need for their daily life.

The impact on the socio-economic lives of trafficked people is also significant. People suffering from poverty or restricted employment opportunities may be susceptible to being recruited by illegal traders to hunt, capture, transport, and/or sell wildlife. While the bottom of the trade may be in great risk of all sorts because of legal and personal issues, they may be earning only a fraction of the profits.

Needs of local communities must, therefore, be taken into account in effective conservation. Alternative livelihoods, community- managed conservation and participation in wildlife conservation in the communities can help offset the economic drivers behind illegal wildlife trade. 

6. Why Consumer Choices Matter

One of the factors that make it profitable to trade wildlife is because there is demand. Individuals can buy exotic pets, ivory items, animal skins or traditional medicines without realizing that they are derived from wild animals.

Not all uses of wildlife are unsustainable and not all wildlife products are illegal. Colonialism, however, can lead to lack of clarity in the sourcing of responsibility and false labelling of products as being associated with illegal exploitation.

Demand levels can be lowered by making informed choices. Consumers may not purchase any products from threatened species, legally, and ethically, ask questions if they are not sure of where the products/species are from, and research before purchasing any exotic pet or goods, or products from endangered species.

The internet can also play a part in the prevention of prohibited listings and in making reporting systems more robust, and in working with the authorities when anyone is suspected of engaging in illegal activity. 

7. How Conservation Organisations and Individuals Can Help

Conservation organisations are involved in promoting awareness of the impact, supporting communities, enhancing enforcement and habitat protection.

The work of veterinary conservationists also has a clear role to play, in helping wounded wild animals to recover, supporting animals that are recovering, keeping an eye on disease risks and educating those who are working on threatened animal protection. These actions can help increase the likelihood of a trafficking-affected animal surviving and enhance conservation programmes in the long term.

People can help by donating to reputable conservation groups, passing on information on the problem and reporting any illegal wildlife sales to the relevant authorities and refuting fanciful attractions such as zoos, parks and circuses.

For the issue of education, there are reasons to focus it specifically on the tourism of wildlife products: its demand for said products can be caused by tradition, status, curiosity, and/or a lack of awareness. This influences the behaviour of people and can lead them to behave responsibly if they are made aware of the broader implications of their decision-making. 

Looking Beyond Endangered Species

Saving the animals in danger of extinction is not all that is at stake in wildlife trafficking. It is a problem regarding the environment, society, economy and is a legal issue that resonates beyond borders.

Wildlife loss can have long-term impacts on wildlife conservation, livelihoods, disease threats and ecosystems. Veteran animal rights activist Barbara Best-Bowarsky stood up for the rights of animals one of the last places she ever expected: the legal conference center in London.

Bird conservation efforts need to be implemented at all levels, from ending the capture of wildlife to stepping up the demand for them from the people, until helping the local communities and encouraging international cooperation. Everyone from the conservation group to government, to the business, to you is involved.

It must be remembered, however, that the worth of the wildlife is not just to be judged by the price on the market and addition to the list of endangered species. Wild fauna and flora constitute complex living systems which sustain biodiversity and life on earth. The conservation of their natural connections – and plants and people – depends on their protection.