Thanks to species trafficking, today, a great variety of species are in serious danger of extinction and not only that, due to this same issue, many are already extinct. Unfortunately all this is caused by man and apparently, no matter how much effort is made, it does not seem that it will end soon.
Legal species trade
Currently there is an organization in which all those species that can be legally traded are registered, it is called "Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora" (CITES), in this, they are around 5.600 species that cannot be marketed in any way, neither they nor anything that belongs to them, since they are protected by various restrictions.
Every exit, entry of any animal species must have a special permit that will only be granted by the competent authorities for these cases.
The Environmental Conservation Monitoring Center (UNEP-WCMC) is in charge of carrying out an exhaustive monitoring of which species are included in the agreements in order to be commercialized legally. These data will be handled and sent by each of the Member States that are part of said agreements. In addition, they are completely free to reject any species if they believe that it may affect their ecosystem or that it is in a vulnerable state.
The commercialization of species not only refers to the import or export of live animals, but also encompasses all the resources derived from these animals, that is, it includes the trade in their skins, meat and other resources obtained from animals.
Currently, there is no exact information on the number of wild species that have been traded internationally and that are not included in the data managed by CITES, however, this does not mean that trade is illegal, since the same it may be supervised by the government entities of each of the nations involved.
In some countries, there are rules and regulations that must be met when making productions, whether for food or for personal use, that come from animals that were in the wild. In order to make these products, special hunting and fishing permits must be obtained, along with all those permits and paperwork that prove the legitimacy of these actions and regulate them legally so that the species can be conserved and protected.
Species trafficking or illegal trade
El Animal Trafficking It is an issue that concerns the whole world in general, since the problem currently not only affects a certain group of ecosystems, but also ended up affecting the planet in general.
These illegal trades are an imminent risk for the conservation of all the natural heritage of the nations of the world, especially for all those species that are currently vulnerable or in danger of being extinct.
One of the main reasons why there is endangered animal trafficking It is due to the mistaken belief that wild animals can be raised as pets or that they can be used as a means of entertainment for human beings, in addition to this, it is also caused by the desire to obtain trophies, which, in general, , they are always the body, or part of it, of the hunted animal and we can even include fashion trends that still use real animal skins, objects created with some resource from it and even the consumption of its meat or part of its body already either for food or as "medicine".
According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the main cause of the increase in illegal hunting for "medicinal products" is due to misinformation, beliefs, myths and false beliefs that these products can alleviate or cure certain conditions. diseases, when the reality is that none of these supposed medicines have been able to demonstrate in a real way that, in fact, they serve what is believed. There are only testimonials from people claiming that it worked for them, but to date, there is no real evidence to prove this fact.
When we refer to the trafficking of species or the illegal trade of species, we are talking about all those imports or exports of the same that violate the agreements made by the International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna or Flora or that, failing that, do not comply with with the quarantine or the normal stipulated ones that were created for the regularization of the commerce of the species or its derived products.
Currently, the trafficking of species is positioned within the 5 most profitable illegal businesses in the entire planet, along with this, are the trafficking of weapons, drugs, people and the counterfeiting of products. In addition to this, the illegal trade of species is also being considered as the second most important threat that has caused serious threats to the conservation and protection of biological diversity of all species in the world.
What is the value chain of species trafficking like?
The value chain that exists within the illegal trafficking of species It begins with the capture, hunting or harvesting of the species with which it is thought to obtain some benefit, then follows the provision of being able to transport or market them, finally, it reaches the final consumer, who will be the one who pays to obtain the species, whether it is alive , dead or any of its resources.
The cruelty with which live animals are transported, from the starting point to their destination, is truly immoral. In general, these spend their entire journey inside containers, cans, boxes and even inside bags or suitcases to which small holes are created through which, it is assumed, oxygen enters them. It should be noted that, during this entire process, these animals do not receive any type of food or hydration. The trip is made by different means of transport, air, land or water.
Due to the extreme conditions in which these poor animals must travel, in general, many of them do not arrive at their destination alive. This being the case, we must add to the precarious conditions that the survivors will have to travel much of their way with a corpse at their side or close to them. The statistics on these cases show that, of every ten animals transported illegally, only one survives.
The criminals who are in charge of carrying out these illegal tasks generally create connections that facilitate the entry of the species to the place of destination. In some cases, and it is very common that it happens, these aid networks used by traffickers are even members belonging to the different government organizations that are supposed to prevent this from happening. Some other traffickers choose to use different access routes where they manage to avoid checkpoints that could affect them.
What is natural and cultural heritage and how does species trafficking affect it?
When we refer to heritage, we are talking about a group of goods that are obtained thanks to an inheritance. Therefore, when we speak of a natural or cultural heritage that all the countries and regions of the world possess, we are referring to the group of natural, social and cultural assets that they have inherited over the years.
In other words, all the goods that belong to said heritage are goods granted by nature. These natural assets are all those that we can observe around us:
- Flora and fauna
- Mountains
- Minerals
- forests
- Jungles
- Mares
- Rivers
- And other natural resources.
We must bear in mind that, when we refer to inheritance, we are talking about all those goods that we inherit from past generations and that we must now protect if we want our future generation to be able to enjoy them. This means that we have a duty to protect and preserve each one of them, and we can even work with them so that they are duplicated, as long as it is done safely and that it does not negatively affect them.
In conclusion, we can affirm that the natural and cultural heritage is a very important heritage that our ancestors have left us and that we must care for and protect so that it can continue to pass on to future generations who must also care for and preserve it.
Why do people want wild animals as pets?
Something that we must always be clear about when we talk about these issues is that there is a great demand for all the natural resources that wildlife gives us. These demands could be very diverse due to the different tastes that consumers have, who are the ones who pay to obtain them, in addition to this, the influence of cultures greatly influences these cases, especially those that are believed that the use of certain resources they can help medically.
In the same way, there are those who believe that having some of these resources makes them be at the top of the social pyramid. In other cases, tourists who are not well informed, buy souvenirs that are made with some of the natural resources of the area, although there are others, who even knowing it, make the purchase without caring that they are contributing to the illegality of obtaining these resources. The material of the horns of the Rhino and elephant tusks are one of the most used for this type of souvenir.
Now, entering the topic that we want to talk about, there are those people who believe that wild animals can be kept at home as pets, which is why they buy them and keep them inside their homes in captivity without knowing, or even knowing that this is not only affecting the ecosystem, but also the animal. This type of belief has exponentially increased the illegal sale of exotic animals worldwide.
Something that we must always keep in mind is that animals, whether wild or domestic, are living beings that breathe, feel and suffer just like human beings, however, domestic animals are considered pets and that They have been at the human side for a very long time.
Domestication is required for an animal to live with the human being because the animal is already accustomed to the customs and treatment of man. This process has been used for years in all those animals that today are considered domestic animals: dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, goats, sheep, cattle, etc.
Otherwise, it happens with the Wild animals, which have lived away from the customs of man and his genetic manipulation, which is why they can never be considered as domestic animals, much less as a pet.
Some surveys carried out in the United States showed that at least 42% of the population once had a bird in captivity, while 13% admitted having had some other wild animal. The same respondents admitted that the main reasons why they decided to have these animals as pets was because they believed that this would be beneficial for their family, because they considered that the animal could be a good companion and because in the end they grew fond of it. same. Some others admitted to keeping them because it was an important gift or because they considered the animal to be very beautiful.
Knowing this, we can conclude that not only is there an immediate self-motivation that makes a person want a certain wild animal as a pet, but that, in these cases, feelings, emotional and cultural value are more influential than the animal can bring to the consumer. Leaving aside the monetary value that obtaining these animals could give them.
Currently, there are different regulations and attitudes that humans take regarding obtaining wild animals, depending on the species and their size. Well, it is not taken in the same way that a person has large animals such as tigers, gorillas, elephants, hippos, among others, to those who have decided to have reptiles, birds or small mammals as pets. Although a permit is needed to be able to have these animals, or failing that, acquire them in places that have such permits, and not all small animals can be cared for by humans, different measures are taken in different cases.
Wildlife trade and conservation
The commercialization of wild species can bring certain consequences within the conservation of species, especially when we talk about illegal trade or trafficking of them and this is exponentially aggravated if it traffics those species that are endemic to the place of origin. where they will be exported.
On the other hand, we must be aware that trade in species, as long as it is legal, can have a positive influence on the conservation of vulnerable species. Sure, this can happen as long as it's done the right way, always keeping in mind what's best for the species and the environment.
There have been several cases where a species that is under serious threat, which has a very low number of specimens alive in the wild, has been traded to other places where the species could live better and have better quality. of life, which is why its commercialization was accepted. After a certain time, studies were carried out on this population that was moved and it was concluded that it had increased remarkably.
Consequences of the illegal trafficking of species
The consequence that brings illegal animal trafficking and wild species can be truly tragic and irreversible. Currently, it is known that within our ecosystem and wild population there is an enormous reduction in biological diversity which is commonly known as "defaunation", within this unfortunate loss, we must include the reduction of genetic variation and the diversity of species, means environments and the benefits obtained when all these interact with each other.
The consequence of these wildlife extractions is the emptiness of the ecological niches that were previously in a healthy state but that, after deterioration and extraction, now do not have the functions that previously sustained said ecosystem or niche. In addition to this, defaunation has been a long chain that has deteriorated due to the ties they have with each other and which have drastically impoverished the ecosystems that used to function correctly.
Now, when we speak individually, we must know that, once a specimen is removed from its environment, it is considered as an ecologically dead specimen, since it would no longer be part of it or fulfill its role. Unfortunately, when a specimen is removed from its ecosystem, it is almost unlikely that it will return to it, which is why it is considered that, by not fulfilling its function, it is dead within that particular ecosystem.
Now, it is well known that, in many cases, those confiscated species are returned to their environment and released, however, there are strong beliefs and even precise reasons that indicate that this release is not correct, especially if we take into account the period of time that the animal had contact with the human being.
In addition to all this, one of the most potential dangers of species trafficking is that, sometimes, exotic species are introduced into environments that did not correspond to them and these become invasive species that can harm the natural ecosystem in one way or another. to which they have been introduced. These “invasive” species can be extremely dangerous not only for the animal species but also for the plant species. For this reason the exotic animal trafficking it's very dangerous.
When one or several individuals are introduced to an ecosystem that did not have that species, it can cause a total decline of the entire invaded ecosystem, this is because this new species now shares an ecological niche with the natives or what they already have. long time being part of that ecosystem, because now they will have to, possibly, fight for their food or resources. In addition, this new species could become an uncontrolled predator that will endanger other species.
As declared by the WWF International, the illegal trafficking of species brings with it several negative aspects that endanger not only ecosystems but also the entire environment in general. These aspects are:
- This type of illegal marketing makes countries run many risks, this is because a large part of these illegally marketed products are directed to other criminals who have a large international network, so the safest thing is that the monetary benefits that they acquire with these businesses, are used in the illegal purchase of weapons, drugs and other products of this nature that would bring internal conflicts to the country. In addition to that, it can be used for money laundering. Something that has been proven.
- It means that the growth of the country's economy is highly affected as well as social growth, this is because they would now be clearly linked to this type of illegal business that brings with it acts of corruption and violation of the laws of the State, which in turn, would give a bad reputation to the government that is exercising.
- It negatively affects the natural heritage, since the species involved could be overexploited or even put these species at risk, since this type of illegal trade is one of the main causes of the extinction of species.
- This type of illicit activities can bring with it various diseases that would not only affect other animal or plant species, but could also affect human beings. A species introduced into a new ecosystem could have some virus or bacteria that, over time, could negatively affect the other species.
Another consequence that this type of thing brings with it is the loss of values, since many people would begin to lose respect for nature, heritage and even solidarity with each other because they notice the monetary benefit that these businesses bring. illegal. In addition, they would begin to believe that it is okay to break the law as long as they can get a good monetary compensation. Something that, without a doubt, would end up destroying what we know today as our ecosystem.
These types of non-legal activities are associated with known acts that have affected our planet for hundreds of years, since many believe that harming an animal or species is not doing any harm, but we must remember that each one of the living beings are important, which is why the loss of even one of them is a fact that should bring sadness instead of joy.
Species trafficking is totally linked to:
- Ecological balance
- ecological crime
- Poaching
Three aspects that, over time, have caused a serious deterioration within our ecosystem, not only nationally, but also worldwide.