Trade in animal products of endangered species

Trade in furs and skins of threatened species

Nature

Some animal products of rare or endangered species and species with diminishing populations are in high demand and give rise to extensive hunting and poaching, which further endangers their status.

Background

The global significance of trade in animal products of endangered species emerged in the 1960s, as conservationists documented alarming declines in wildlife populations due to commercial exploitation. International concern intensified following high-profile cases, such as the near-extinction of African elephants and tigers, prompting the 1973 adoption of CITES. Since then, ongoing revelations of illegal trafficking networks and persistent demand have deepened understanding of the trade’s scale and its threat to biodiversity.

Incidence

Pelts and skins in demand for the fashion trade derive from the cheetah, ocelot, jaguar, snow leopard, clouded leopard, lynx, vicuña, tiger, and giant otter. Although legal limits have been imposed on the number of pelts or skins of certain species which may be exported from a country, these limits are exceeded due to a considerable illicit fur trade. Other products in demand include black or white rhino horn, crocodile hide, walrus tusks, sea turtle meat and by-products and, of course, elephant ivory. Much of the middle-men activity is done in Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangkok and Tokyo, with Honolulu and Brussels being other transit points. Countries whose rare and embattled species are diminishing include India, Kenya, Thailand, and Ecuador, while many of the oceans' species, which belong to the world, are being pirated for private gain. Illegal trading in ivory, the skins of endangered species and small live wild animals and birds is a $1.5 billion business annually. Of 110 traditional Chinese medicine shops surveyed in seven cities in North America, nearly half offered the sale of one or more protected species medicines. Products lablled to contain tiger bone -- which is used primarily

Claim

The trade in animal products of endangered species is a grave and urgent crisis. It fuels extinction, destroys ecosystems, and undermines global conservation efforts. Allowing this trade to continue is both morally indefensible and ecologically catastrophic. We must act decisively to end it, enforce strict regulations, and hold perpetrators accountable. The survival of countless species—and the health of our planet—depends on our immediate and unwavering commitment to stopping this destructive practice.

Counter-claim

The trade in animal products of endangered species is vastly overblown as a global concern. With so many pressing issues—poverty, disease, and climate change—focusing on a handful of rare animals is a distraction. Strict regulations already exist, and the impact on most people’s lives is negligible. Resources would be better spent on human welfare rather than obsessing over the fate of a few exotic species. This is simply not an important problem.