Tackling Illegal Wildlife Trade by Improving Traceability: A Case Study of the Potential for Stable Isotope Analysis

The illegal wildlife trade is amongst the top transnational organised crimes in terms of value, estimated to be worth more than the illegal trade in small arms, diamonds, and human organs (Haken 2011). The illegal trade not only threatens target species with extinction but can also spread diseases (Gómez and Aguirre 2008) and contribute to the growth of organised crime (Haken 2011). On an international scale, the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) monitors and controls the trade of over 35,000 species that are currently, or have the potential to become, threatened by trade. Species and populations of species are listed in one of three CITES Appendices depending on the level of threat from trade. Appendix I taxa are the most threatened and commercial trade in wild specimens is prohibited. Trade in Appendix II species is carefully monitored via a system of permits and annual reporting, as these species have the potential to become threatened by trade. In addition, individual CITES Parties can list a species or population on Appendix III to better monitor its trade. Controlling illegal wildlife trade can protect populations of vulnerable animals and plants in the wild but can also benefit livelihoods and national economies by strengthening the legal wildlife trade. This legal trade is estimated to be worth $249 billion per year, the majority of which are the high value fish and timber markets worth $222 billion (Engler and Parry-Jones 2007). The remaining $27 billion is the value of a diverse range of products including live animals for the pet trade, wild-sourced plants and fungi used as food, and derivatives of hundreds of species for the medicinal market (Broad et al. 2003).