5. Tackling unsustainable wildlife trade

  1. David W. Macdonald6 and
  2. Katherine J. Willis7
  1. Adam J. Dutton1,
  2. Brian Gratwicke2,
  3. Cameron Hepburn3,
  4. Emilio A. Herrera4 and
  5. David W. Macdonald5

Published Online: 25 FEB 2013

DOI: 10.1002/9781118520178.ch5

Book Title

Key Topics in Conservation Biology 2

Key Topics in Conservation Biology 2

Additional Information

How to Cite

Dutton, A. J., Gratwicke, B., Hepburn, C., Herrera, E. A. and Macdonald, D. W. (2013) Tackling unsustainable wildlife trade, in Key Topics in Conservation Biology 2 (eds D. W. Macdonald and K. J. Willis), John Wiley & Sons, Oxford. doi: 10.1002/9781118520178.ch5

Editor Information

  1. 6

    Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, University of Oxford, UK

  2. 7

    Biodiversity Institute, Oxford Martin School, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, UK

Author Information

  1. 1

    Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

  2. 2

    Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, D.C., USA

  3. 3

    Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment and James Martin Institute, Said Business School, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

  4. 4

    Departamento de Estudios Ambientales, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Caracas, Venezuela

  5. 5

    Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Tubney House, University of Oxford, UK

Publication History

  1. Published Online: 25 FEB 2013
  2. Published Print: 15 APR 2013

ISBN Information

Print ISBN: 9780470658765

Online ISBN: 9781118520178

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CHAPTER TOOLS

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Keywords:

  • CITES;
  • conservation;
  • regulated trade;
  • sustainable practices;
  • trade bans;
  • wildlife laws;
  • wildlife management;
  • wildlife trade policies

Summary

This chapter describes and illustrates the issues surrounding wildlife trade policies. Wildlife trades are complex and heterogeneous, requiring different management approaches although the issues discussed may be common. It should be possible to develop a suite of investigations based on the issues raised in this chapter to estimate the impacts of each policy on wild populations, each being judged relative to the others. One key message which must be conveyed is that total protection of the wild resource may prove impossible (at least in the short term) under any trade regulation system. The two primary legal instruments used to address unsustainable exploitation are outright bans and conditional allowances permitting limited trade. International wildlife trade is primarily regulated through the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) under the United Nations. Voluntary management schemes are sometimes used to encourage sustainable practices instead of legal obligations.

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