Understanding whether wildlife trade is harming a species is no simple task. Much of the focus in conservation has been on larger, more charismatic species, while invertebrates like tarantulas often slip through the cracks. These species are traded in large numbers, and without proper monitoring and regulation, overharvesting can drive populations to dangerous levels. Yet, … [Read more…]
LINK: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.ado1142 The wildlife trade spans across various species and motivators, including pet ownership, collections, and derived products like food and medicine. While some trade is legal and sustainable, illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade is growing globally, posing threats to species, ecosystems, and human health. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild … [Read more…]
The study explored the impact of a natural history film, “The Elephant Queen” (TEQ), on the attitudes of communities living near elephants in Southern Kenya. Human-elephant conflict poses a significant challenge to wildlife conservation, and while efforts have been made to mitigate conflict, few focus on fostering understanding and tolerance between humans and elephants. Researchers … [Read more…]
Movies have a great deal of influence in our lives. Whether you like to follow the works of a particular director, throw yourself whole-heartedly into cosplay, or just enjoy going to the flicks on a Friday night, most of us have some sort of relationship with the silver screen. But how far does the influence … [Read more…]
A new publication just dropped where we try to understand why ivory trade in Japan has reduced drastically in the last few decades. It turns out it has very much to do with how complex the world is and not so much to do with conservation. Read all about in the article in The Conversation
The giraffe is an icon of the African subcontinent, and yet, there are many gaps in knowledge about giraffes in the wild and how to best protect them. In the 21 countries where giraffe populations are found, their conservation status differs depending on the species, geography, and threats they face. Coupled with the threats of … [Read more…]
New article out today on Conservation Science and Practice: Investigating the international and pan‐African trade in giraffe parts and derivatives. Here we review the evidence and interview experts about giraffe trade, concluding in the end that ” the dynamics of legal and illegal trade and the use of giraffe parts vary throughout Africa, ranging from … [Read more…]
The trade in wildlife has received a lot of coverage in the last year but we almost never think of insects when we think of the wildlife trade. I was happy to have participated in the documentary “Cast of the Titans” that sheds light on this trade, with a particular focus on the titan beetle … [Read more…]
Laura Thomas-Walters, University of Stirling; Amy Hinsley, University of Oxford, and Diogo Veríssimo, University of Oxford A British tourist on a tropical beach poses for a photo with a cute monkey-like animal. A Vietnamese man buys some rhino-horn powder and brags to his friends about its potency. An orchid collector admires their latest purchase, a … [Read more…]
Laura Thomas-Walters, University of Kent; Bob Smith, University of Kent, and Diogo Veríssimo, University of Oxford Conservationists have been working for decades to save species such as pangolins and rhinos from illegal hunting and trading. And, with fears that the coronavirus pandemic originated from the wildlife trade, there’s never been more pressure to find solutions. … [Read more…]