Wildlife trafficking affects a vast number of species around the globe. Some species you may hear or read about more than others, but the sheer scope of the mammals, fish reptiles, birds and more that are impacted by this trade is staggering. By looking at what types of species, products, and trade routes traffickers use, we can advocate for the most efficient use of resources to combat the trade.
This week, we released a report on wildlife trafficking from Latin America to the United States. We focused on patterns in this illegal trade, and U.S. law enforcement capacity to detect and deter it. We looked specifically at imperiled species like those listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The sad truth is that the most rare and imperiled species are often the ones that fetch the highest prices on the black market, and the impacts of illegal trade on these species is the most critical.
Confiscated wildlife products
In the ten years of data Defenders analyzed as a part of this project, we found 356 different species being trafficked from Latin America to the United States. This included not just species native to Latin America, Mexico and the Caribbean, but also from Asia, Africa, Australia and Europe! Wildlife from around the world is making its way onto the black market in the U.S. or passing through U.S. ports on its way to other destinations. And here are the top 5 victims:
Queen Conch
Queen conch is found in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico, through Central America and the Caribbean, and even off the northern coast of South America. It lives coral reefs, seagrass, and sandy habitats, and prefers warm, shallow waters. Queen conch is traded illegally for its meat, shells, and for use in jewelry. The distinctive queen conch shell is spiral-shaped, and has a wide flared lip. The beauty of the queen conch – and part of what drives demand – is the shell’s interior, which is a glossy pink and orange. Shells can grow up to 12 inches long and weigh up to five pounds! Sadly, 99% of the queen conch shipments we looked at in our study were taken from the wild.
Sea Turtles
Did you know that items made from “tortoise shell” are often made from the shell of the endangered Hawksbill sea turtle? Six species of sea turtle are found in U.S. waters, and all of them are protected under the ESA and CITES. Like queen conches, sea turtles are sought after for their carapaces – the scientific term for shells. Hawksbills are particularly prized for their carapace, which is a beautiful pattern in golden browns and ambers. Depending on the species, a sea turtle’s carapace can be anywhere from two to eight feet in length! Sea turtles are particularly vulnerable to poaching during their nesting season, when they come ashore to lay their eggs. In fact, sea turtles eggs are also frequently found in illegal trade. Sea turtles are also at risk in the open ocean where they are caught by fishermen who bring them aboard and sell them for supplemental income. We uncovered more than 7,200 individual items made from sea turtles in our data.
Caimans
Caimans live in the lowlands and wetlands of Central and South America, and can be found through southern Mexico. Although caimans are not native to the United States, they have been introduced in southern Florida as well. Caimans are sought after in illegal trade mainly for their skin, which ranges in color from dull greens to browns. Depending on the species (there are three), caimans can be as small as three feet or as large as 15 feet long! Caiman leather is often used as a lower-quality substitute for other reptile leathers, but intentionally marketed as crocodile or alligator for the high price. Here’s how you can tell: in caiman leather, the tiles have a concave, rather than convex, shape, and the leather has a dry feel. If the leather creases between the tiles when bent, it is probably caiman. In our analysis we found that 50% of caiman items were imported for commercial purposes, which not only shows how often caiman leather finds it ways into a market many may think is “legal,” but also the high volume of products seized by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service inspectors at our ports.
Crocodiles
Did you know that there are 14 species of crocodiles? Crocodiles can be found in Africa, Asia, and Australia, in addition to North and South America. The American crocodile lives in southern Florida, Mexico, Central America, the northern tip of South America, and the Caribbean, and it is protected both under the ESA and CITES. In some areas, the American crocodile can grow up to 20 feet long! People tend to confuse crocodiles and alligators, even when they’re alive – telling their skin apart after it’s been processed into leather goods is even harder. One of the best ways to tell one from the other is the presence of visible sensory pores close to the scale edge. These pores are left behind by hair follicles and are only present on crocodiles, not alligators. Of all the crocodile items seized, 93% of them were either shoes or small leather products, like wallets or belts.
Iguanas
The green, or common, iguana, is the largest species in the iguana family. Some have been known to grow to over six feet long and weigh more than 20 pounds! Common iguanas are native to northern Mexico all the way to southern Brazil, including the Caribbean islands. However, as Americans may well be aware, iguanas can also be found in Florida, Texas and Hawaii and are considered invasive. Common iguanas like to live along rivers, lakes and mangroves, but can also be found in open, arid areas – they are not picky. While the common iguana is not protected under the ESA, trade in this species is regulated under CITES because populations outside the U.S. are threatened by trade. Iguanas are found in illegal trade not only for their skin, but for their meat. In some areas, it’s so common to eat iguanas that they are called “chicken of the trees.” Unfortunately, iguana meat doesn’t have any defining characteristics and is generally indistinguishable from other meats, which makes it hard to detect when being traded. In our study we found over 900 pounds of iguana meat seized!
These are only a handful of the 356 different species trafficked to the United States from Latin America. Others include ocelots (a small cousin of the leopard), boa constrictors, pythons, and even African elephants. Wildlife trafficking is truly so global in nature that even illegal ivory enters the United States from Latin America! We can only stop this wide-reaching trade if we eliminate the demand. Learn more about this trade and what you can do to help stop it by checking out the summary of our report.
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