The Trade in Wildlife

Book excerpt: 'A valuable addition to the wildlife conservation and management literature.' Journal of International Wildlife Law and Policy 'This book provides the reader with a fascinating set of debates about the ethical, biological and socio-economic issues that arise in attempting to regulate the wildlife trade.' Development and Change The regulation of the trade in wildlife is failing. From the snow leopard of India to the monkey puzzle tree of South America, increasing numbers of plant and animal species are threatened with extinction despite improvements both in our understanding of the issues involved and in the management of global trade. Insight into why this is taking place, and how to halt it, is urgently needed. The Trade in Wildlife provides a timely and broad-based critical assessment of how the international trade in wildlife is currently regulated and how those regulations are enforced, or, all too often, ignored. Through analysis of key case studies and a comparative look at the trade in other illegal goods, it highlights the weakness in the current system, shows where it is failing and clearly outlines what must be done if conservation efforts are to be supported by trade regulations rather than undermined by them. This is a comprehensive resource for academics and students in economics, environmental studies, law and politics and a critical text for conservationists, policy-makers and NGOs.