Quantitative Investigation of Wildlife Trafficking Supply Chains: A Review

The illicit wildlife trade is a pervasive and global problem that has far-reaching impacts on both society and the environment. Aside from threatening numerous species around the world and acting as a potential disease transmission vector for several zoonotic diseases, including the COVID-19 pandemic, this complex system is often linked with other illicit networks such as drugs, weapons, and human trafficking. The annual monetary value of wildlife trafficking is estimated to be over twenty billion USD, and, unfortunately, wildlife trafficking has several unique characteristics that make it difficult to disrupt in an effective and efficient manner. There has been much research and media awareness around wildlife conservation and moral issues surrounding the illicit wildlife trade, but little is known about the supply chain structures and operations of these illicit networks, especially from a quantitative, analytical perspective. This research reviews wildlife trafficking through an operations and supply chain lens. By understanding the unique challenges faced in impeding wildlife trafficking, we present opportunities to resolve them using analytical techniques. We provide the groundwork for future developments in detection, interdiction, reduction, and possibly, elimination of illicit wildlife trade. © 2022

Managers and shorebird biologists' perceptions of enforcement and voluntary compliance techniques to increase compliance with dog regulations on beaches

Disturbance to shorebirds by domestic dogs can cause direct and indirect bird mortality. Dog regulations to minimize disturbance are only effective if people comply with them. Non-compliance is a universal problem in biodiversity conservation, with an associated body of applicable social science from the field of conservation criminology. We apply the lens of this literature to better understand non-compliance with dog regulations on beaches along the Atlantic Flyway of the U.S. and the role of law enforcement and voluntary compliance techniques (e.g. persuasive communications, behavioural alternatives) in fostering compliance. Through in-depth interviews with 27 land managers and shorebird biologists experienced in creating and/or implementing regulations to reduce disturbance to shorebirds, we found that non-compliance is a challenge that law enforcement alone is inadequate to address. Managers are working to overcome these challenges with law enforcement through training law enforcement officers, as well as voluntary compliance approaches, such as conducting on-site stewardship programs led largely by volunteers, placing educational signage at sites, and highlighting alternative areas to walk dogs. The early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. increased dog walking on beaches and exacerbated the issue of non-compliance and lack of enforcement, while the capacity for educational and stewardship programs was also limited. We conclude by recommending that managers and biologists tackle non-compliance with multiple and concurrent strategies along a spectrum from enforcement to voluntary compliance techniques, while also better studying the efficacy of these approaches. We also highlight the importance of continuing to track the ongoing challenges to compliance with biodiversity conservation regulations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Opportunities for Transdisciplinary Science to Mitigate Biosecurity Risks From the Intersectionality of Illegal Wildlife Trade With Emerging Zoonotic Pathogens

Existing collaborations among public health practitioners, veterinarians, and ecologists do not sufficiently consider illegal wildlife trade in their surveillance, biosafety, and security (SB&S) efforts even though the risks to health and biodiversity from these threats are significant. We highlight multiple cases to illustrate the risks posed by existing gaps in understanding the intersectionality of the illegal wildlife trade and zoonotic disease transmission. We argue for more integrative science in support of decision-making using the One Health approach. Opportunities abound to apply transdisciplinary science to sustainable wildlife trade policy and programming, such as combining on-the-ground monitoring of health, environmental, and social conditions with an understanding of the operational and spatial dynamics of illicit wildlife trade. We advocate for (1) a surveillance sample management system for enhanced diagnostic efficiency in collaboration with diverse and local partners that can help establish new or link existing surveillance networks, outbreak analysis, and risk mitigation strategies;(2) novel analytical tools and decision support models that can enhance self-directed local livelihoods by addressing monitoring, detection, prevention, interdiction, and remediation;(3) enhanced capacity to promote joint SB&S efforts that can encourage improved human and animal health, timely reporting, emerging disease detection, and outbreak response;and, (4) enhanced monitoring of illicit wildlife trade and supply chains across the heterogeneous context within which they occur. By integrating more diverse scientific disciplines, and their respective scientists with indigenous people and local community insight and risk assessment data, we can help promote a more sustainable and equitable wildlife trade. © Copyright © 2021 Aguirre, Gore, Kammer-Kerwick, Curtin, Heyns, Preiser and Shelley.