Wildlife Trade Inspection and CITES Enforcement

CITES is the primary international framework governing wildlife trade, with enforcement challenges at customs inspection points allowing significant illegal trade to continue despite legal prohibitions.

Key Facts

CITES regulates trade in over 38,000 plant and animal species through Appendix listings
Seized illegal wildlife shipments represent an estimated 10 to 20% of actual illegal trade volume
Detector dogs trained to find wildlife products have dramatically improved seizure rates at key ports
Electronic monitoring of CITES permits reduces falsification that was common with paper-based systems
The illegal wildlife trade is estimated at 7 to 23 billion dollars annually, making it the fourth largest illegal trade globally

Welfare Considerations

Wildlife seized in trade enforcement operations represents animals that have already endured capture, transport, and holding under conditions that cause significant suffering. The animals found in successful enforcement actions are a fraction of those actually moved through illegal trade. Animals not intercepted face continued suffering in the destination market. Strengthening enforcement reduces the total number of animals experiencing this suffering. Demand reduction campaigns address the market incentive that drives the trade at source, complementing enforcement by reducing the commercial value that makes risking prosecution worthwhile.

What You Can Do

Support TRAFFIC wildlife trade monitoring and enforcement capacity building programs
Advocate for increased customs inspection resources and detector dog programs at key ports
Report suspected illegal wildlife trade to CITES enforcement authorities and national wildlife crime units
Support demand reduction campaigns that reduce market value for illegally traded wildlife products