User:Tofuwulf/Wildlife smuggling

Wiki Goals for 3/27/23

 * 1) Update the Introduction so it is easy to read and well cited
 * 2) Update the Culture section, dividing into countries making it easier to digest
 * 3) Edit and cite more current resources for the Health section (COVID19) and Environmental section (overestimated my ability to do all three goals)

Wiki Plans
Edit introduction: The introduction is missing citations in various places, and overall not appealing to read/reads very clunky

Culture, Monitoring: Sections are uncited, and grammar needs correcting, outdated statistics on global import on wildlife trade

Impact section: Update the Health, Economic, and Environment portions as they either lack citations, or a majority of sources are at least seven years or older

Source Material
=== International Wildlife Trafficking: A perspective on the challenges and potential forensic genetics solutions ===


 * This paper gives an initial overview of what constitutes wildlife trafficking and explores why wildlife trafficking is a threat to national security in the realm of law enforcement, public health, and social stability. The article then flows into a U.S. case study (as the United States is the biggest importer of legal and illegal wildlife products, and the researchers have more experience with the U.S.) showcasing the different ways wildlife products enter the nation, and why they are so difficult to identify and mark as illegal. The paper explores the possibility of utilizing Mitochondrial DNA to better identify the wildlife products entering the U.S..


 * I plan to use this paper in part to update the introductory paragraph, monitoring section, and to update the health portion of the Impact section as the paper goes into detail on the zoonotic diseases associated with bushmeat and wildlife trade. May also be used to update some sections of Monitoring.

=== The True Costs of Wildlife Trafficking ===


 * This journal article begins by relating IWT to the COVID19 pandemic, and the broader scope of zoonotic diseases humans have encountered due to IWT. Speaks of the loss in biodiversity due to IWT, the cultural ties behind the desire for these animals and their derivatives.
 * I plan to use this paper in part to update the introduction, culture section, and economic section.

=== Connections between trades and trafficking in wildlife and drugs ===


 * This journal article's main purpose is to show the way in which other illegal contraband is often moved with trafficked wildlife, or in partner with an otherwise legal item or wildlife. However, the article also discusses the economic incentive behind IWT, minor cultural aspects, and environmental impacts due to IWT.
 * I plan to use this paper to update the economic, culture and environment sections.

=== Wildlife trafficking: Focusing on the entire supply chain ===


 * This article looks at IWT from an economic perspective. Nataraajan explains the penalties those involved currently face when caught in IWT when fueling the supply end, and what (culturally) is fueling the demand end of IWT.
 * I plan to use this to update culture and economic sections.

=== Illegal wildlife trade and the persistence of “plant blindness” ===


 * This article focuses on the way plants (outside of timber) are often left out of IWT policy, even though numerous plants are threatened with extinction and impacted by the horticultural trade and IWT.
 * My goal is to incorporate this into the introduction, culture, and environment sections.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO BE USED FOR CULTURE SECTION:
==== Using conservation criminology to understand the role of restaurants in the urban wild meat trade ====

Exploring the Africa-Asia Trade Nexus for Endangered Wildlife Used in Traditional Asian Medicine: Interviews With Traders in South Africa and Vietnam

Illegal Harvesting within a Protected Area: Spatial Distribution of Activities, Social Drivers of Wild Meat Consumption, and Wildlife Conservation

Article Draft
Wildlife smuggling or wildlife trafficking concerns the illegal gathering and trade of endangered species and protected wildlife, including plants and byproducts or products utilizing a species. Research on wildlife smuggling has increased, however, knowledge of the illicit trade remains limited. The differences between international policies and tendencies likely contribute to the extensive estimated range of wildlife smuggling, anywhere from $5-$23 billion, with an additional $67-$193 billion when timber and fish are included. The prolific growth of wildlife smuggling makes it the fourth-largest criminal enterprise globally after drug, firearm, and human trafficking. Products demanded by the trade include but are not limited to ivory, bushmeat, traditional medicine, and exotic pets. China and the United States are the largest buyers in the illegal wildlife trade.

Culture
In many instances, culture is a driving factor in wildlife trafficking. There are often traditional roots or societal trends behind the reasons specific wildlife faces a greater risk of targeting when it comes to traditional medicines, jewelry, trinkets, pets, and the consumption of wild meat (bushmeat). With the help of globalization, the Internet, social media, and people moving from one nation to another over the centuries, many items desired by the wildlife trade are distributed multi-nationally, such as traditional medicines which appear in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa. Laws prohibiting the use of particular plant or animal-derived items fall short when people believe they encroach on traditional cultural values or what they believe is best for human life. Additionally, tourism has accounted for some accidental wildlife trafficking. A person may purchase an item not knowing it is prohibited or banned internationally.

Below are some examples of culturally influenced illegal wildlife trade by various continents and their countries or regions:

China
The use of Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) began during the 10th century BCE. Utilizing a variety of plants and animals, TCM was considered the key to treating disease and mitigating the effects of aging. Around 200 years after discovering the germ theory of disease, TCM began to receive pushback from younger, educated crowds. Despite the pushback, TCM remains an essential aspect of cultural identity for many in the Chinese nation, bringing $10 million into the economy in 2005.

Unfortunately, using animal derivatives for traditional medicines has been considered a key driver for the global wildlife trafficking trade. Many commonly used species are now listed as threatened or endangered by the IUCN, with other species showing declines in their populations.

A recent study sought insights into China's millennial population's attitude towards consuming wildlife products for medicinal purposes. Of the 350 students surveyed by Chinese university students, three-quarters of respondents had yet to try any wildlife products, and only 11% of those respondents stated interest in trying them in the future. Chinese culture historically held a utilitarian view of nature. Still, with societal and cultural shifts, this may begin to change with China's youth.

Africa
Although understudied, wild meat is sourced illegally, often due to political and economic instability in African nations. In rural areas, bushmeat is often used as a way to survive poverty and a lack of food security. In contrast, urban residents typically eat bushmeat for the status it brings as a luxury item. Additionally, wild meat is exported from Africa for international markets every year.

Ivory continues to be in great demand for international markets as well, with an estimated 100 African elephants killed daily for their tusks.