TRAFFIC: The Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network

TRAFFIC: The Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network

• Full name: Trade Related Analysis of Fauna and Flora in Commerce​

• Commonly known as: TRAFFIC – The Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network​

• Nature: Leading non-governmental organization (NGO) tackling wildlife crime and illegal trade​

• Status: Now an independent NGO with 50+ years of expertise​

Establishment and Evolution

• Founded: 1976​

• Original structure: Specialist group of the Species Survival Commission of IUCN​

• Evolution: Evolved from IUCN specialist group → Strategic alliance of WWF and IUCN → Independent NGO (2017)​

• Headquarters: Cambridge, United Kingdom​

Organizational Structure

• Partnership basis: Joint program of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)​

• Governance: TRAFFIC Committee composed of members from partner organizations (WWF and IUCN)​

• Staff expertise: Biologists, conservationists, academics, researchers, communicators, investigators​

• Collaboration: Works in close cooperation with CITES Secretariat​

Core Functions and Objectives of TRAFFIC

• Mission: Ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to nature conservation​

• Two main work streams:

• Action to reduce wildlife crime and illegal trade​

• Action to enhance benefits from sustainable, legal wildlife trade​

Key Activities

• Research and analysis: Investigating and analysing wildlife trade trends, patterns, impacts and drivers​

• Government support: Informing and supporting governments to adopt and implement effective policies and laws​

• Private sector engagement: Providing guidance to businesses for sustainable sourcing standards and best practices​

• Consumer awareness: Developing insights into consumer attitudes and designing communication interventions to dissuade illegal wildlife purchase​

• Data collection: Gathering data on seizures, arrests, and trafficking routes​

• Market surveys: Conducting surveys of wildlife markets and transport hubs to detect illegal trade​

Major Data Systems and Tools

• Wildlife Trade Portal:

• Open-access platform providing data on seizures, species, product types, transport methods​

• Over 2,700 users including 400+ research institutions​

• Users from 126 countries conducted over 57,000 searches​

• Data informed at least 60 published papers​

• Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS):

• Tracks illegal trade in elephant products, particularly ivory​

• Over 30,000 records in the system​

• Integrated with MIKE (Monitoring Illegal Killing of Elephants)​

• Records law enforcement actions in 100+ countries​

• Bad Ivory Database System (BIDS): Foundation for ETIS​

• Rhino Horn and Product Database: Tracks rhino horn circulation with data from 54 countries​

Major Focus Areas and Species

• Flagship species priorities: Tiger parts, elephant ivory, rhino horn​

• Commodity trade: Timber and fisheries products​

• Endangered species: Addresses trade in protected species under CITES appendices​

• Sustainable medicinal plants: ISSC-MAP initiative (launched 2007 with WWF, IUCN, BfN)​

Global Presence and Expansion

• Regional offices:

• Europe (established 1990)​

• East/Southern Africa (established 1991)​

• East Asia (established 1994)​

• 13+ additional offices worldwide​

TRAFFIC in India

• Structure: Operates as Programme Division of WWF-India​

• Focus areas: Monitoring wildlife trade patterns in India and surrounding regions​

• Collaboration: Works with Indian government agencies and enforcement authorities​

Key Monitoring Methods

• Trade pattern analysis: Understanding scope and scale of illegal trade​

• Seizure tracking: Recording confiscation data and enforcement actions​

• Policy advocacy: Working with governments to strengthen law enforcement​

• Rapid response: Providing strategic recommendations for governments and enforcement agencies​

• Evidence-based approach: “Evidence to Influence” strategy using latest data and analysis​

Challenges Addressed

• Weak law enforcement: Combating inadequate enforcement of wildlife protection laws​

• Corruption: Addressing corruption among enforcement agencies​

• Market demand: Tackling high demand for exotic species in black markets​

• Data limitations: Working with limited resources in remote or conflict-affected areas​

• International networks: Addressing complex cross-border trafficking syndicates​

Recent Initiatives and Partnerships

• 2018 Partnership Agreement: New strategic alliance on wildlife trade with IUCN and WWF​

• 2024 CITES Tree Species Project: Conservation effort launched​

• International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime (ICCWC): Established 2010, includes TRAFFIC collaboration​

• Financial institution collaboration: Over 6,000 enforcement agencies and financial institutions use TRAFFIC data

Check : ENVIRONMENT NOTES