Determining the sustainability of legal wildlife trade

Hughes, Alice C.; Auliya, Mark; Altherr, Sandra; Scheffers, Brett R.; Janssen, Jordi; Nijman, Vincent; Shepherd, Chris R.; D’Cruze, Neil; Sy, Emerson; Edwards, David P.

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117987

Cited by 25 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 229 publications

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“…This study estimated an annual sale of over 249,000 geckos within Hong Kong alone. We therefore highlight the need for non-detriment findings (NDFs, a determination showing the proposed trade will not be detrimental to the survival of the species) to be issued to assess trade sustainability, as these have not been part of the gecko trade evaluations, despite their high quotas within CITES (Hughes et al, 2023). As both sellers' and users' attitudes toward trade and usage were significantly influenced by legal awareness, setting up legal protections and awareness-raising campaigns could effectively reduce consumption behaviors.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Once a superabundant species, the bird experienced drastic population collapse due to intense and unsustainable trapping (Kamp et al, 2015). Therefore, prompt and up-to-date sustainability assessment for species involved in high-volume wildlife trade is critical (Hughes et al, 2023). The resulting policy decisions and conservation actions can help to prevent species from becoming endangered, which is of comparable importance to saving species from already endangered status.…”

Section: The Importance Of Setting Up Legal Protectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They are commonly seen in both pet market and medicinal trade (Caillabet, 2013;Nguyen et al, 2021;Rösler et al, 2011). Understanding demand for tokay geckos is particularly important, as national quotas for export are as high as six million individuals annually from Indonesia alone, and virtually little data exist on wild populations or genetic diversity (Hughes et al, 2023). Although tokay geckos are not currently classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), they have been listed in CITES Appendix II since 2019, indicating growing concerns about their wild populations (CITES, 2023;Lwin et al, 2019;Dufour et al, 2022).…”

Section: Practitioner Pointsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Overall, the significant demand for geckos, as shown through our study, highlights the urgent need for conservation attention. For trade to be sustainable, wild gecko populations should be harvested at a rate that will not compromise their long-term survival (Cusack et al, 2020;Hughes et al, 2023), whether to directly supply the market or to stock for commercial farms. Research such as Population Viability Analysis or other models should be used to assess the sustainability of wild gecko populations under this heavy demand (Lacy, 2019).…”

Section: Trade Legality and Quantitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, legal trade does not inherently guarantee its sustainability. Further evidence is needed to evaluate the impacts of legal trade on many species (Hughes et al, 2023). Concurrently, illegal trade continues, posing additional threats to biodiversity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sustainability of medicinal animal products: Tokay geckos and pangolin scales as traditional Chinese medicine

Wang,

Dufour,

Yeung

et al. 2023

Integrative Conservation

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Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) utilizes animal products derived from hundreds of species. For some species, such as the pangolins (family Manidae), demand from the medicinal trade has been recognized as a major threat and is under strict regulations to conserve declining endangered populations. In parallel, species such as the tokay gecko (Gekko gecko and Gekko reevesii) have only recently attracted conservation attention due to the high volumes in trade despite an apparently still abundant wild population. In this study, we collected market data to assess the trade in pangolin (illegal trade) and tokay gecko (legal trade) medicinal products. We also collect general public's attitude toward the trade and their understanding on the medicinal use of high‐profile endangered species (pangolins) and less well‐known species (tokay gecko) in Hong Kong. We interviewed a total of 169 shops/clinics and 153 members of the public. We found that tokay gecko was sold in 59% of the surveyed outlets. We estimate that trade volume may reach as many as 0.2 million individuals per year in Hong Kong. The substantial demand for tokay gecko products estimated in this study underscores the urgent need for a thorough assessment of trade sustainability and continuous monitoring of the wild population status of gecko species. In contrast, pangolin scale products were rarely reported, and there was a high level of awareness among sellers regarding the illegality of such products. Our public survey revealed that awareness of the legal status of these products was the most influential factor shaping public choice to support the trade and consequently consume the products. Therefore, setting up legal protection status and enhancing public awareness about the legality of wildlife trade are essential steps toward responsible consumption and conservation. Furthermore, support for the use of alternatives among TCM practitioners presents a promising avenue. This highlights the opportunity to transiting trade toward sustainably sourced alternatives while respecting the traditions associated with TCM.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Importance Of Setting Up Legal Protectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Practitioner Pointsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Trade Legality and Quantitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Sustainability of medicinal animal products: Tokay geckos and pangolin scales as traditional Chinese medicine

Wang,

Dufour,

Yeung

et al. 2023

Integrative Conservation

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Can sustainable biocommerce continue to support conservation, or will the captive breeding of offspring be its Achilles heel?

Yeager,

Scarpetta Gonzalez,

Shepack

2024

Ecol Sol and Evidence

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The trade in high‐value natural resources, particularly exotic plants and animals (henceforth biocommerce), can lead to both positive and negative impacts on wild populations. The exotic plant and animal hobbies are highly organized with internal cultures that are often poorly understood by non‐members; however, understanding them is of central importance for biocommerce with both direct and indirect consequences for the conservation of wild populations. Growing international demands for exotic species leaves simple questions related to the economics of biocommerce unexplored. The long‐term success of biocommerce businesses requires constant income, meaning they obtain and retain significant market proportions. Some biocommerce products can be reproduced by hobbyists and undercut business efforts based on sustainably produced exports. We analyse a test case in Neotropical poison frogs where sustainable biocommerce is burgeoning, yet (export‐based) businesses face direct market competition from the offspring produced within the countries, which receive their exports, and therefore are forced to rely on fervent customer support. Solution: We survey customers' behaviours where we find different classes of consumers, which differ in where they place higher values within the hobby. By taking into account these different classes, we gain insights and potential solutions to promote the stability of this unique type of biocommerce.

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Indonesia's sustainable development goals in relation to curbing and monitoring the illegal wildlife trade

Nijman,

Abdullah,

Adinda

et al. 2024

Sustainable Development

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Indonesia has committed to implement the sustainable development goals (SDG) by 2030 including the ending trafficking of protected species and addressing the illegal wildlife demand and supply. As such, there is a need for long‐term data on wild animal trade and its contribution to the wider economy. We initiated a long‐term monitoring programme of live civet trade in wildlife markets (120 surveys, 2010–2023). Civets are traded to be kept as exotic pets and to produce civet coffee and are a proxy for other high‐profile wildlife. We recorded 2289 civets of six species, including ones with strict regulations in place. Despite the trade being illegal, and contra to Indonesia's commitments as part of the SDG to curb this trade, it remained remarkably stable over time (numbers, species, prices). As such, Indonesia is not meeting its SDG targets that are related to curbing illegal wildlife trade and illicit financial flows.

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Determining the sustainability of legal wildlife trade

Cited by 25 publications

References 229 publications

Sustainability of medicinal animal products: Tokay geckos and pangolin scales as traditional Chinese medicine

Sustainability of medicinal animal products: Tokay geckos and pangolin scales as traditional Chinese medicine

Can sustainable biocommerce continue to support conservation, or will the captive breeding of offspring be its Achilles heel?

Indonesia's sustainable development goals in relation to curbing and monitoring the illegal wildlife trade

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