Many species are directly threatened by illegal wildlife trade, and whilst national and international laws are in place for their protection, such as CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora & Fauna), as demand for wildlife products grows, so does the illegal trade.

How much is wildlife trafficking worth?

Dangerous international networks traffic wildlife and animal parts much like illegal drugs and arms. While it’s almost impossible to obtain reliable figures for the value of the illegal wildlife trade (excluding timber and fisheries) it is estimated at US$7.8-10 billion per year (GFI, 2011).

Is the Endangered Species Act a law?

The US Endangered Species Act (ESA) is our nation’s most effective law to protect at-risk species from extinction, with a stellar success rate: 99% of species listed on it have avoided extinction.

What are the effects of poaching?

Impacts of Poaching on Wildlife Wildlife poaching has lots of adverse effects on local communities, wildlife populations, climate, ecosystem, biodiversity, and the environment as a whole. People target bear gall bladders and big horned sheep antlers for their medicinal properties.

How big is the illegal wildlife trade?

Fueled by an insatiable demand for consumption, status, and traditional medicine, the value of illegal wildlife trade has been estimated at between USD 7 and USD 23 billion per year, making wildlife crime one of the world’s most lucrative illegal businesses, often run by sophisticated, international, and well-organized …

Which animal is being highly illegally traded?

African Elephants are arguably the most well-known species to be heavily impacted by illegal trade and wildlife crime, given that approximately 90% have been decimated within the last century.

What crimes do animal traffickers commit?

Poachers and traffickers have also been tied to murder, intimidation, bribery, organized crime, terrorism and a host of other threats that destabilize families, communities and national security.

How many animals are killed each year by poachers?

Every year poachers take more than 38 million animals from the wilds of Brazil to meet the global demand for illegal wildlife. Most are birds destined to become caged pets for people in Rio de Janeiro, Sydney, Madrid or New York. Biodiversity in Latin America has decreased by approximately 83 percent since the 1970s.

What is the most endangered plant?

5 of the World’s Rarest and Most Endangered Plants

• Western Underground Orchid. This is truly a weird one: a plant that spends its entire life living underground.
• Pitcher plant. If you’ve never seen a pitcher plant before, you might be a little shocked by its appearance.
• Jellyfish tree.
• Corpse flower.
• Wood’s cycad.

What are the 4 major points of the Endangered Species Act?

The Endangered Species Act (“ESA”) prohibits importing, exporting, taking, possessing, selling, and transporting endangered and threatened species (with certain exceptions). ESA also provides for the designation of critical habitat and prohibits the destruction of that habitat.

Why is poaching still happening?

Underlying all poaching is the demand for animal products. Reduce the demand for ivory, horns, hides and other products, and you cut the heart out of the poaching industry. For many products, demand is driven by traditions, many of which don’t stand up to the scrutiny of science and the realities of the modern world.

Why is poaching happening?

There are many causes for poaching. For one thing, poaching is hard to regulate and law enforcement is susceptible to bribery, making poaching an easy crime. As one can see, causes of poaching are done for many reasons, such as food, religion, money, and even lack of enforcement. …

Why wildlife trade should be banned?

An estimated 1 million animal and plant species are at imminent risk of extinction – and the wildlife trade is one of the main reasons why. Ending the trade will aid conservation efforts and help prevent these animals from disappearing forever.

What items are traded in illegally?

In India, the illegal trade includes diverse products such as Mongoose hair; Rhino horn, snake skins, Tiger and Leopard claws, bones, skins, whiskers; Elephant tusks; Deer antlers; Shahtoosh shawl; Turtle shells; Musk pods; Bear bile; medicinal plants; timber and caged birds such as Parakeets, Mynas, Munias etc.

How much money do animal traffickers make?

With a value of between $7 billion and $23 billion each year, illegal wildlife trafficking is the fourth most lucrative global crime after drugs, humans and arms. Trophy hunting is estimated to create around $200 million in annual revenue. Only 3% of the fees paid for the hunts reach local communities.

What is the illegal capturing and killing of an animal called?

Poaching (illegal hunting) Poaching may involve the killing or trapping of a protected species, hunting in a protected area, or hunting without a hunting licence.

How many animals do humans kill a day?

More than 200 million animals are killed for food around the world every day – just on land. Including wild-caught and farmed fishes, we get a total closer to 3 billion animals killed daily. That comes out to 72 billion land animals and over 1.2 trillion aquatic animals killed for food around the world every year.

How many rhinos were killed in 2019?

“Every 22 hours, a rhino was poached in South Africa during 2020. This is a welcome and much-needed decline since the peak of the poaching crisis, but we’re in an extremely worrying situation….394 rhinos poached in South Africa during 2020.

What is the rarest plant ever?

10 Rare Plants List in the World

1. Rafflesia Arnoldii. Known to be the world’s largest flower, this plant is one of the rarest one in the world.
2. Encephalartos Woodii.
3. Nepenthes Tenax.
4. Welwitschia.
5. Pennantia Baylisiana.
6. Amorphophallus Titanum (Titan Arum)
7. Ghost Orchid.
8. Dragon’s Blood Tree.

What is the rarest plant on Earth?

Middlemist Red is the rarest plant in the world.