In the post-COVID-19 era, is the illegal wildlife trade the most serious form of trafficking?

J Sean Doody,Nichole Mattheus,Joan A Reid,Klejdis Bilali,Jennifer Diaz

doi:10.1186/s40163-021-00154-9

J Sean Doody, Nichole Mattheus + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s40163-021-00154-9

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Journal: Crime Science	Publication Date: Sep 13, 2021
Citations: 3	License type: open-access

Affiliation: University of South Florida St. Petersburg

Abstract

Despite the immense impact of wildlife trafficking, comparisons of the profits, costs, and seriousness of crime consistently rank wildlife trafficking lower relative to human trafficking, drug trafficking and weapons trafficking. Using the published literature and current events, we make the case, when properly viewed within the context of COVID-19 and other zoonotic diseases transmitted from wildlife, that wildlife trafficking is the most costly and perhaps the most serious form of trafficking. Our synthesis should raise awareness of the seriousness of wildlife trafficking for humans, thereby inducing strategic policy decisions that boost criminal justice initiatives and resources to combat wildlife trafficking.

Highlights

Despite its apparent seriousness, wildlife trafficking ranks low in comparison to trafficking of humans, drugs and weapons when considering the relative crime costs, profits and seriousness (May, 2017)
We make the case that wildlife trafficking, when properly viewed within the context of COVID-19 and other zoonotic diseases transmitted from wildlife (e.g., SARS from civets), is the costliest and perhaps most serious form of trafficking, despite the seriousness of trafficking in humans, drugs, and weapons
Illegal trafficking: pre‐COVID‐19 comparisons When considering the comparative rankings of trafficking crimes regardless of whether they are ranked by illegal profits, economic and social costs, or seriousness, wildlife trafficking is consistently ranked lower than drug trafficking and human trafficking, and less serious than weapons trafficking (e.g., May, 2017; Fell et al, 2019; Forte et al, 2017)

Summary

Introduction

Wildlife trafficking ranks low in comparison to trafficking of humans, drugs and weapons when considering the relative crime costs, profits and seriousness (May, 2017). Introduction Despite its apparent seriousness, wildlife trafficking ranks low in comparison to trafficking of humans, drugs and weapons when considering the relative crime costs, profits and seriousness (May, 2017).

Results

Conclusion