Illegal trafficking of plant and animal wildlife continues to pose a significant challenge despite some progress, as highlighted in a recent report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). While reported seizures during 2020 and 2021 appeared to show a decrease compared to previous years, the UNODC emphasized that this might be attributed to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic rather than a genuine decline in trafficking activities.

The report, which is published every four years and covers data up to 2021, reveals that wildlife trafficking has remained largely unabated over the past two decades. It stresses the necessity for governments to focus not only on “iconic” species like elephants but also on a broader range of threatened species affected by illegal trade.

Despite international attention predominantly gravitating towards high-profile species such as elephants, tigers, and rhinoceroses, the report warns against overlooking the trafficking of other flora and fauna. Wildlife crime extends beyond the poaching of large mammals; it encompasses activities like the illegal collection of succulent plants, rare orchids, and the trafficking of various reptiles, fish, birds, and mammals, contributing to both local and global extinctions.

The scale of the issue is staggering, with seizures of over 13 million items recorded between 2015 and 2021, involving approximately 4,000 plant and animal species across 162 countries and territories. Notably, corals, crocodiles, and elephants were among the most commonly trafficked species, highlighting the diverse range of wildlife impacted by illegal trade.

Despite these concerning trends, there have been some successes in combating trafficking in certain wildlife products, particularly elephant ivory and rhinoceros horn. The report points to declines in poaching rates, seizure levels, and market prices for these items over the past decade as encouraging signs.

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