Stopping Illegal Wildlife Trafficking.
WSC’s Position Statement
A significant level of the illegal wildlife trade is conducted through maritime trafficking. Criminal networks take advantage of loopholes in the shipping industry and the high volume of container traffic to move their illicit goods.
In 2020, 798.9 million TEUs of containers moved through the world’s ports (UNCTAD 2022). Of these, typically only 2% were inspected.
Preventing, detecting, intercepting and prosecuting wildlife trafficking by sea requires a holistic approach across multiple sectors including widespread awareness, effective and automated risk profiling, innovative detection techniques, collaboration between law enforcement and private sector, proper investigation and prosecution practices.
Credit: Adode Stock
The Wildlife Trafficking Supply Chain
Illegal wildlife trafficking is among the 5 most lucrative crimes in the world, worth an estimated US $23 billion, and impacting more than 7,000 species of animals.
A significant level of the illegal wildlife trade is conducted through the maritime sector.
Criminal networks take advantage of loopholes in the shipping industry and the high volume of container traffic to move their illicit goods undetected from source, transit and destination
Source: UNDP 2023
Resources
Joint Industry Guidelines on Illegal Wildlife Trafficking
A Review of Shipping Companies’ Carriage Policies on International Shark Fin Trade
The IMO’s Illegal Wildlife Guidelines: For the Prevention and Suppression of the Smuggling of Wildlife on Ships engaged in International Maritime Traffic
Red Flag Indicators: For Wildlife and Timber Trafficking in Containerized Sea Cargo
The WCO’s SAFE Framework of Standards 2021
The IMO’s e-Learning Course
Did You Know?
Pangolin Trade
Donkey Skins Trade
Sea Cucumber Trade
Seahorse Trade
23.5 tonnes of pangolins and their parts were trafficked in 2021 alone. China and Viet Nam are the two primary consumer markets for pangolins.
Pangolins are insect-eating mammals eating mainly termites and ants. Pangolins are the only mammals in the world covered in scales, made of keratin—the same material that makes fingernails and hair.
Pangolins are the most trafficked mammals in the world, accounting for as much as 20% of all illegal wildlife trade!
Pangolins are hunted for their scales (used in traditional medicine) and meat (considered a delicacy in some countries). All 8 Pangolin species are under CITES Appendix I.
Approximately 5.9 million donkeys are slaughtered for their skins annually for ejiao (eh-gee-yow), a traditional Chinese remedy.
The global shipping industry plays a pivotal role in the donkey skin trade, which often converges with the illicit wildlife trade and other contraband products.
Domesticated donkeys are closely related to globally protected CITES Appendix 1 critically endangered African wild ass (Equus africanus).
Sea cucumbers are illegally trafficked for consumption purposes. They play a vital role in marine ecosystems, acting as "vacuum cleaners" of the ocean floor, recycling nutrients and maintaining water quality.
Their overexploitation through illegal fishing has led to significant population declines and ecological damage.
There are over 40 different species of Seahorse with the genus Hippocampus, derived from the ancient Greek word hippókampos (híppos meaning "horse”) and and kámpos meaning "sea monster”. Male Seahorses carry the baby during reproduction.
Seahorses are monogamous. Seahorses are flagship species and indicators of ecosystem health. They are heavily traded for consumption in traditional medicine.
15,772,838 - estimated total global number of imported dried seahorses.
Senegal - reported the highest number of exports (98%) of dried seahorses in Africa.
