Wildlife Trading is the Fourth Largest Illegal Global Trade

With an estimated worth between $7 billion and $23 billion, illegal wildlife trade is the fourth largest illegal global trade after drugs, counterfeiting and human trafficking.

“Illegal wildlife trade is a grave concern for its devastating impact on biodiversity and endangered species,” Sonia Ben Hamida, head of special cargo at the International Air Transport Association (IATA) says. “The (Live Animals Regulations) LAR mandates rigorous documentation for all live animal shipments. This ensures that the source, destination, and purpose of transportation are always clear and traceable. Illegally traded animals often lack proper paperwork, making it easier to identify and halt such shipments.”

The Center of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) audit checklist includes a dedicated module on illegal wildlife trade to encourage organizations to develop processes and procedures for identifying and applying measures when cases of unacceptable welfare conditions or wildlife trafficking are identified as well as suspected shipments of illegal live animals.