Hi everyone!

After showing a glimpse of the species that are often illegally traded, I will be discussing who are some of the stakeholders involved. Previously, I surveyed 60 young adults aged 18 to 30. The majority (76.7%) of whom said that they did not know who is involved in the trade. When I asked those, who replied “yes” who do you think gets involved and why this was the breakdown of their answers!

As you can see money is one of the most common answers. Is money then, the main driver of illegal wildlife trade? Who provides the money? Where is the demand coming from? What are other drivers of the trade? These are the questions I hope to answer and clarify!

I found this documentary, which also highlights who may be involved in the trade.

Please click on the link above as the video size was too big to be uploaded!

I then summarized the information in a causal loop diagram. While not everything is reflected in it, it still contains many of the words which were previously mentioned in the survey before!

KEY DRIVERS

1. Money

From the documentary, we can see that money is indeed one of the key drivers of the illegal wildlife trade, attracting many parties into the trade. This is especially appealing to poachers who are dependent on the trade for sustenance or are simply looking for a quick way to earn cash. It is, however, important to note that there are other factors pushing the trade.

2. Demand by rising middle class

Money, by itself, cannot push for illegal wildlife trade without having someone to sell to.  It’s simple economics actually! Demand influences on price, which then influences supply as well.

Adapted from EC1301 notes

While demand for different species differs from country to country, most of the demand comes from south-east Asia. This demand is likely being fueled by the rising middle class, a point previously raised by Dr. Anuj before. For them, consumption or procurement of these products is viewed as status symbols and as a means to cultivate connections (Truong et al, 2015).

This also goes in line with what was taught about overconsumption in class and the creation of wants. Sound familiar? Yes, it was what was mentioned in Noah Chomsky’s video! This then creates a void that they feel the need to fill to be included in society or to be seen as a certain social class. In the case of Vietnam, you might actually be excluded if you don’t participate in the trade (Truong et al, 2015)!  What is worrying, however, is that the documentary mentions that government officials themselves in Vietnam were allegedly using these products in their gatherings.

3. Inefficient policies and laws

This highlights another factor that drives the trade. Rhino horns were banned in Vietnam, yet government officials were allegedly still using them. This shows how inefficient policies could still allow the trade to continue and, in this case, fuel the demand for it. Moreover, with inefficient policies and corruption, it would lead to a lack of enforcement and manpower. This would incentivize more poachers, middlemen, and bosses to hunt, causing more and more species to decline.

On the flip side, some things can be done to counter these drivers of the trade! As mentioned in the documentary, the demand is fueled by a lack of education, and better education and awareness may help to curb the demand. This will be discussed in the upcoming posts! Until then, stay tuned, stay safe!

References:

Truong, V. D., Dang, N. V., & Hall, C. M. (2015). The marketplace management of illegal elixirs: illicit consumption of rhino horn. Consumption Markets & Culture, 19(4), 353–369. https://doi.org/10.1080/10253866.2015.1108915