An overview of international wildlife trade from Southeast Asia

Increased focus on the illegal global wildlife trade has resulted in greater numbers of live animals confiscated by authorities, increasing the need to manage these animals responsibly. Most wildlife seizures take place in Southeast Asia, with global demand for live animals fuelling much of the trafficking. Guidelines for the ‘disposal’ of live specimens are provided by the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), although individual Parties must implement provisions through national laws and regulations. ‘Disposal’ is the term used for the management of illegally traded wildlife upon confiscation. Confiscated live animals can be euthanised (i.e., killed), repatriated to their native country and released, or kept in captivity. This study investigates barriers to proper care and disposal of confiscated live animals in Southeast Asia, where roughly one quarter of the global multibillion dollar illegal wildlife trade takes place. Interviews were conducted with 18 professionals working within conservation, wildlife crime, and confiscated live animal management. Eight limitations to the proper care and disposal of confiscated wildlife were identified: (1) political will, (2) policy, (3) funding, (4) capacity, (5) expertise (6) attitudes and behaviours, (7) exploitation, and (8) corruption. Based on interviews, we propose seven key reforms to support the efficient and humane management of illegally traded wildlife for national authorities and CITES parties. These are wildlife seizure management, legislative support, enhanced political will, demand reduction, global participation, registry of rescue centres, and terminology change. This research highlights major barriers to the proper care and disposal of live confiscated animals and proposes key reforms to improve the conservation of threatened species and the welfare of millions of illegally traded animals.

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Legal frameworks to deter and combat the illegal wildlife trade in Southeast Asia

Illicit Trade - The Illegal Wildlife Trade in Southeast Asia ◽

10.1787/bb3eae76-en ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 55-68

Author(s):

Keyword(s):

Southeast Asia ◽

Wildlife Trade ◽

Illegal Wildlife Trade ◽

Legal Frameworks

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Trade in non-native, CITES-listed, wildlife in Asia, as exemplified by the trade in freshwater turtles and tortoises (Chelonidae) in Thailand

Contributions to Zoology ◽

10.1163/18759866-07603007 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 76 (3) ◽

pp. 207-211 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Vincent Nijman ◽

Chris R. Shepherd

Keyword(s):

International Trade ◽

Endangered Species ◽

Retail Price ◽

Wildlife Trade ◽

Freshwater Turtles ◽

Wild Fauna ◽

The World ◽

Conservation Concern ◽

International Wildlife Trade

In 1973 the Convention in International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) was called to life as to regulate the international wildlife trade, and to prevent species becoming (economically and biologically) extinct. The trade in freshwater turtles and tortoises in Asia is so huge that it threatens the survival of many species. In 2006 and 2007, during three surveys at Chatuchak market in Bangkok, Thailand, we recorded a significant trade in non-native CITES-listed freshwater turtles and tortoises to be used as pets. We documented a total of 688 individuals of 19 species from different regions of the world, many of which are globally threatened with extinction. Most commonly recorded were three species of tortoise from Madagascar and Africa, i.e. Radiated Tortoise Geochelone radiata, Spurred Tortoise G. sulcata and Leopard Tortoise G. pardalis. Five species were listed on CITES Appendix I, precluding all international trade, and an additional six Appendix II or III-listed species that can be traded albeit regulated, were not registered as being imported into Thailand in the last six year. CITES I-listed species were not more expensive than CITES II or III listed species, nor was there a relationship between retail price and numbers of turtles observed. The large number and availability of illegally sourced animals indicates a blatant disregard for law and authority by traders both from Thailand and from exporting countries. We conclude that the trade in these species, in such significant volumes, is of serious conservation concern, and in order for CITES to be more effective it is imperative that Parties recognize the scale of the international trade in freshwater turtles and tortoises and respond accordingly.

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Animal origins of SARS coronavirus: possible links with the international trade in small carnivores

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.2004.1492 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 359 (1447) ◽

pp. 1107-1114 ◽

Cited By ~ 77

Author(s):

Diana Bell ◽

Scott Roberton ◽

Paul R. Hunter

Keyword(s):

Significant Proportion ◽

Interdisciplinary Approach ◽

Wildlife Trade ◽

Human Populations ◽

Sars Coronavirus ◽

Natural Habitats ◽

Biodiversity Crisis ◽

International Borders ◽

Animal Populations ◽

International Wildlife Trade

The search for animal host origins of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus has so far remained focused on wildlife markets, restaurants and farms within China. A significant proportion of this wildlife enters China through an expanding regional network of illegal, international wildlife trade. We present the case for extending the search for ancestral coronaviruses and their hosts across international borders into countries such as Vietnam and Lao People's Democratic Republic, where the same guilds of species are found on sale in similar wildlife markets or food outlets. The three species that have so far been implicated, a viverrid, a mustelid and a canid, are part of a large suite of small carnivores distributed across this region currently overexploited by this international wildlife trade. A major lesson from SARS is that the underlying roots of newly emergent zoonotic diseases may lie in the parallel biodiversity crisis of massive species loss as a result of overexploitation of wild animal populations and the destruction of their natural habitats by increasing human populations. To address these dual threats to the long–term future of biodiversity, including man, requires a less anthropocentric and more interdisciplinary approach to problems that require the combined research expertise of ecologists, conservation biologists, veterinarians, epidemiologists, virologists, as well as human health professionals.

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The Illegal Wildlife Trade in Southeast Asia

10.1787/14fe3297-en ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Keyword(s):

Southeast Asia ◽

Wildlife Trade ◽

Illegal Wildlife Trade

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Monitoring International Wildlife Trade with Coded Species Data

Conservation Biology ◽

10.1111/j.1523-1739.2007.00857.x ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

pp. 4-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Keyword(s):

Wildlife Trade ◽

International Wildlife Trade

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The Importance of an Interdisciplinary Research Approach to Inform Wildlife Trade Management in Southeast Asia

BioScience ◽

10.1093/biosci/bix113 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 67 (11) ◽

pp. 995-1003 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Mary E. Blair ◽

Minh D. Le ◽

Gautam Sethi ◽

Hoang M. Thach ◽

Van T. H. Nguyen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Southeast Asia ◽

Interdisciplinary Research ◽

Wildlife Trade ◽

Research Approach

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Strengthening International Legal Cooperation to Combat the Illegal Wildlife Trade Between Southeast Asia and China

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution ◽

10.3389/fevo.2021.645427 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Yunbo Jiao ◽

Pichamon Yeophantong ◽

Tien Ming Lee

Keyword(s):

Southeast Asia ◽

Policy Coordination ◽

Wildlife Trade ◽

Transnational Organized Crime ◽

Illegal Wildlife Trade ◽

Consumer Markets ◽

Wildlife Trafficking ◽

Enforcement Mechanisms ◽

Criminal Groups ◽

Economic Ties

China is among the world’s leading consumer markets for wildlife extracted both legally and illegally from across the globe. Due to its mega-richness in biodiversity and strong economic ties with China, Southeast Asia (SEA) has long been implicated as a source and transit hub in the transnational legal and illegal wildlife trade with China. Although several cross-border and domestic wildlife enforcement mechanisms have been established to tackle this illegal trade in the region, international legal cooperation and policy coordination between China and its SEA neighbors remain limited in both scope and effectiveness. Difficulties in investigating and prosecuting offenders in overseas jurisdictions, as well as organized criminal groups that sustain the illicit supply chain, continue to undermine efforts by the region’s governments to combat wildlife trafficking. In addition to reviewing the key trends in both the legal and illegal wildlife trade between SEA and China, this paper examines existing legal and policy frameworks in SEA countries and China, and provides a synthesis of evidence on the latest developments in regional efforts to curtail this multibillion-dollar trade. In particular, it discusses how proactive and effective China has been in cooperating with its SEA neighbors on this issue. The paper also draws on the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) framework to suggest pathways to deepen legal cooperation between China and SEA countries in order to disrupt and dismantle transnational wildlife trafficking in the region.

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