Wildlife trafficking trends in sub-Saharan Africa

Demand for elephant ivory and rhino horn has driven dramatic growth in illegal wildlife markets in recent years due primarily to a growing consumer base in East Asia. All forms of wildlife trafficking taken together constitute one of the most lucrative forms of illicit trade, according to some estimates, and the sector has more than doubled since 2007. This chapter points to publicly available reports on population declines, trafficking routes and the quantity of wildlife contraband reported. It highlights reports on the geographic hubs and hotspots of wildlife trafficking routes, and argues that monitoring and enforcement in source countries can be effective means to reduce poaching, but capacities are low and need support in the form of training and information systems. It presents the Information Sharing Platform built for the OECD Task Force on Charting Illicit Trade, and encourages stakeholders to join this to reinforce collective action to counter illicit trade in wildlife.