Illegal wildlife trade – surveying open animal markets and online platforms to understand the poaching of wild cats

Nijman, Vincent; Morcatty, Thaís Q.; Smith, Jaima H.; Atoussi, Sadek; Shepherd, Chris R.; Siriwat, Penthai; Nekaris, K. Anne-Isola; Bergin, Daniel

doi:10.1080/14888386.2019.1568915

Cited by 54 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Traditional consumption of felid skins can and has adapted to changing culture in the face of species decline, notable efforts include Tibetan monks protecting snow leopards from the illegal trade (Li et al, 2014) and efforts by "lion guardians" to reduce the cultural hunting of lions (Dolrenry et al, 2016). Yet strong international demand for felid skins and bones remains an ongoing challenge (Nijman et al, 2019). Nevertheless, ongoing respect for traditional uses of wildlife derivatives often directly conflicts with international environmental policy and impedes local enforcement (e.g., protected species used in traditional Asian or African medicine, whose practitioners are often legally recognized [Nijman et al, 2019]).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Yet strong international demand for felid skins and bones remains an ongoing challenge (Nijman et al, 2019). Nevertheless, ongoing respect for traditional uses of wildlife derivatives often directly conflicts with international environmental policy and impedes local enforcement (e.g., protected species used in traditional Asian or African medicine, whose practitioners are often legally recognized [Nijman et al, 2019]).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Longitudinal assessment of illegal leopard skin use in ceremonial regalia and acceptance of faux alternatives among followers of the Shembe Church, South Africa

Naude

Balme

Rogan

et al. 2020

Conservat Sci and Prac

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Despite having protected status, poaching for the illegal trade and traditional use remains a primary threat to leopards (Panthera pardus) across southern Africa. Addressing this threat is challenging, not only because it is difficult to uncover and monitor illicit behavior, but because law enforcement and alternative intervention strategies need to account for cultural and political sensitivities to prove effective and sustainable. With up to 4 million followers in southern Africa, the recently-established Nazareth Baptist "Shembe" Church represents the principal culturo-religious use of illegal leopard skins in the world. This longitudinal study used in-person questionnaires (n = 8,600) and telephone follow-ups (n = 2,300) with Shembe followers to explore socioeconomic and experiential factors related to the desirability and possession of illegal leopard skins before and after receiving a faux alternative through the Furs for Life (FFL) intervention program. Proportional possession of authentic skins was relatively low among followers who received faux skins (21%), with declines of 7 and 13% in subsequent authentic skin acquisition and desirability, respectively. Logistic regression models revealed that authentic skin possession, both before and after receiving a faux skin, was primarily related to employment status. Desire for authentic skins increased with recipient age, but decreased with improved knowledge of leopard population status since receiving the faux skin. Followers who were dissatisfied with faux skins were likely to express a continued desire for authentic skins. Most followers (95%) were, however, satisfied with the faux alternative, having retained and worn it at gatherings, with little noticeable damage or perceived societal judgment. These results support the FFL intervention as a means of protecting leopards: Although authentic skins were still acquired, demand decreased significantly over 3 years with shifts in perception favoring faux leopard skin alternatives.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Longitudinal assessment of illegal leopard skin use in ceremonial regalia and acceptance of faux alternatives among followers of the Shembe Church, South Africa

Naude

Balme

Rogan

et al. 2020

Conservat Sci and Prac

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“…They found that for 1 species (spotted wood owl Strix seloputo) prices were higher online, for 2 species (buffy fish owl Bubo ketupu and Javan owlet Glaucidium castanopterus) prices were lower, and for 4 other species, there was no price difference. Nijman et al (2019) analysed market and online surveys of the wild cat trade in 8 countries on 3 continents and re vealed that in some countries, wildlife trade is indeed shifting to online platforms. However, the rate of this shift to online platforms depends on external factors such as a country's Internet penetration rate, or enforcement of protected species legislation inside physical markets .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Digital media and the modern-day pet trade: a test of the ‘Harry Potter effect’ and the owl trade in Thailand

Siriwat¹,

Nekaris²,

Nijman³

2020

Endang. Species. Res.

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We explored the influence of film and media on the exotic pet trade using the context of the 'Harry Potter effect' and the owl trade in Thailand as a case study. We compared the owl trade between market surveys dating from 1966 to 2019 in Bangkok's Chatuchak market, to online surveys from 2017 to 2019. Using generalised linear models, we examined whether prices offered for owls could be explained by variables linked to whether the species are featured in the Harry Potter franchise, body size, tameness and temporal/seasonal harvesting. We also tested for an anthropogenic Allee effect by examining the relationship between the availability of owls and asking price. Owls never exceeded 1.3% of the total number of birds for sale in Chatuchak animal market, and we did not observe any owls during our visits in 2011, 2018 and 2019. In contrast, we re corded 311 individuals of 17 species from 206 posts on the online marketplace on Facebook. Owls are offered for sale during all months of each year surveyed but more so from February to April; availability did influence price. We found that price was significantly explained by body mass, but not by association with the Harry Potter franchise or by tameness. We found that owls have become more popular as pets, and as they are potentially sourced from the wild, this inevitably causes conservation concerns. Owls are just one of many taxa suffering from the unregulated and accessible marketplace that social media sites offer to vendors.

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“…The challenges in making direct comparisons between physical markets and online platforms range from disjointed time periods, nuanced social differences in consumer buying behavior, as well as differences in survey methods and efforts. Nijman et al (2019) directly compared open animal markets and online markets in trade of wild cats and revealed that there is indeed a directional shift of trade toward online platforms but this differs generally between countries. An increased presence of enforcement agencies in many traditional markets may have also contributed to the shift; however, the rate of change occurs at varying degrees dependent on factors such as geographic location and infrastructure limitations.…”

Section: Q2mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Surveys were conducted by walking through markets and recording species and numbers in notebooks or on mobile phones (cf. Nijman et al 2019).…”

Section: Market Survey (Including Literature Review)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Wildlife trade shifts from brick-and-mortar markets to virtual marketplaces: A case study of birds of prey trade in Thailand

Siriwat

Nijman

2020

Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity

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a b s t r a c tThe shift of wildlife trade from brick-and-mortar markets to virtual online marketplaces is reported using the trade of birds of prey (raptors) in Thailand from 1968 to 2019 as a case study. We analyzed data obtained from physical market survey data for 2,782 individuals from 27 species, with 2,420 individuals reported in early surveys and 362 individuals reported in later surveys (2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014)(2015) and online surveys (February 2017 to January 2019). We compared information on asking prices and what species were traded using two comparative approaches to analyze how species composition may have changed over time (physical markets and online platforms; pre-Internet and Internet era). In comparison with the five previous market surveys, we did not find a statistically significant difference between species and availability of species offered for sale when comparing physical bird markets and online markets. In all data sets, biological factors such as wingspan were significant factors in explaining price variation. We conclude that sustained monitoring is needed to make direct comparisons between the trade platforms. With a continued increase of wildlife trade on online platforms, we recommend increased regulation and enforcement of wildlife trade laws.

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Illegal wildlife trade – surveying open animal markets and online platforms to understand the poaching of wild cats

Cited by 54 publications

References 3 publications

Longitudinal assessment of illegal leopard skin use in ceremonial regalia and acceptance of faux alternatives among followers of the Shembe Church, South Africa

Longitudinal assessment of illegal leopard skin use in ceremonial regalia and acceptance of faux alternatives among followers of the Shembe Church, South Africa

Digital media and the modern-day pet trade: a test of the ‘Harry Potter effect’ and the owl trade in Thailand

Wildlife trade shifts from brick-and-mortar markets to virtual marketplaces: A case study of birds of prey trade in Thailand

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