TRAFFIC Report

Pangolins are currently the most heavily trafficked wild mammals in the world. In this report, the illegal pangolin trade from 2010–2015 was investigated, focusing on the global trade routes used to traffic pangolins and their derivatives.

Illegal trade and the trafficking of Tiger Panthera tigris, as well as their parts, products and derivatives, and the poaching which supplies it, is the most immediate threat to the survival of wild tigers. This briefing document highlights top-line findings from the detailed analysis over the 16 years, including key occurrences and patterns over the period assessed. Key recommendations are provided for consideration by actors at national, regional and international levels.

With 48 threatened bird species, and the highest number of breeding endemic bird species (11) in mainland Southeast Asia, Viet Nam is a global conservation priority. Many of these threatened species are hunted unsustainably for wildlife trade. Very little is known about the current true scale of the trade in Viet Nam as the most recent research was conducted in 2008.

Central Africa has been identified as one of the main sources of illegal ivory fueling unregulated domestic ivory trade throughout West and Central Africa and overseas destinations, especially Asia, in recent years. This report presents the results of field surveys of ivory markets carried out in 11 cities of five Central African countries in 2007, 2009, 2014 and 2015 by two different researchers, one in 2007 and 2009, and another in 2014 and 2015, using the same methodology.

To gain a better understanding of the presence and potential sources of Southern Bluefish Tuna traded and/or consumed in mainland China, desk-based research and a market survey “snapshot” were carried out.

Malaysia is the world’s paramount illicit ivory transit country. To better understand this trade dynamic, TRAFFIC assessed information from ivory seizures -- made either by Malaysian authorities, or outside the country but with Malaysia identified as part of the trade chain -- from a period of over 11 years (from January 2003 to May 2014).

Singapore has a long history of involvement in the bird trade. To understand further the bird trade industry in Singapore, TRAFFIC undertook a rapid assessment of the open bird trade in Singapore’s pet shops. Surveys of 39 pet shops, listed by AVA as licensed to sell birds, were conducted over four days in November and December 2015. A full inventory of the species and volumes in trade was documented, excluding domesticated species.

Snow leopard poaching and trafficking – referred to herein as snow leopard crime – is revisited 13 years after TRAFFIC’s first report on the subject, Fading Footprints: The Killing and Trade of Snow Leopards. This report builds on a preliminary analysis published in May 2016 (Maheshwari and von Meibom, 2016).

This report illustrates the large scale of the bird trade documented through a complete inventory of five major markets in eastern and central Java (Bratang, Kupang, Turi (Surabaya); Malang and Yogyakarta) and follows on from a similar inventory carried out in Jakarta in 2014, which documented a total of 19,036 birds.