Poachers and Snobs: Demand for Rarity and the Effects of Antipoaching Policies

Abstract

Habitat loss, climate change, poaching, and illegal wildlife trafficking are threatening a large number of animal populations. Recent research suggests that people place higher value on wildlife or wildlife-derived goods when they are considered rare or uncommon. Although supply-side antipoaching policies—such as strengthening the enforcement of regulations against illegal hunting—decrease people's incentives to engage in poaching, one significant consequence of the demand for rarity is that it weakens the impact of these policies. While the demand for rarity cannot completely offset the effects of supply-side antipoaching policies, the reduction in the amount of poaching that can be achieved using these policies may not be large when people are willing to pay more for rare wildlife goods. This calls into question whether actions targeting the supply side of the market for poaching are the most effective ones for protecting endangered or threatened species affected by poaching.