An insight of the Illegal Wildlife Trade in Mexico


A vast country in natural wonders that for years has been the hub for wildlife smugglers.



 An insight of the Illegal Wildlife Trade in Mexico

A vast country in natural wonders that for years has been the hub for wildlife smugglers.

 
By Marisol Estrada 

A s one of the most lucrative global crimes, the illegal
wildlife trade threatens the future existence of many of the
world’s most iconic species. 
 but the actual hunting of most wildlife, more than often, is


Mexico is one of the most biodiverse countries according
to (CONABIO) in the world. Wildlife is abundant here but
the protected areas are not. Climate change and human
development are factors that have been affecting the flora
and fauna but wildlife trafficking and weak wildlife
management are by far the current biggest threats.
Photograph by Marisol Estrada
Its ideal geographical and geopolitical position also
contributes to the transit for those seeking to profit from
trade in endangered species. Illicit wildlife trade is
estimated to generate between $5 USD and $23 USD
billion worldwide in revenue for the poachers, smugglers,
and salesmen whose business it is to plunder nature for a
quick profit.


According to data provided by the USFWS, some 18.9% of
illegal wildlife shipments intercepted at U.S. ports
between 2005 and 2014 were exported from Mexico. This
data provided indicates that this represents 70% of the
total shipments intercepted from the entire Latin American
region. Mexico for years has been the hub for wildlife
smugglers. To put it simply, a primary spillway for the sale
and shipment of illicit wildlife from the Caribbean to
Central and South America.


May 1st, 2020
Profits incite poachers to pluck animals in large numbers,
carried out by people living in proximity to vast natural
areas and targeted animals, lured with money into wildlife
illegal harvesting and trafficking. A poacher might only
make $200 USD for a species but profits increase
exponentially as they get closer to the buyer. 





Photograph by Marisol Estrada
Most of those arrested, caught and convicted worldwide
for wildlife trafficking rarely are the criminals who actually
manage the supply chain. Once the animal has been
harvested, it is usually sold or transferred to ‘brokers’ who
often maintain stockpiles of wildlife and wildlife products,
package the shipments, and send them across borders.
For poachers, even the smallest amount of money they
get is worth the risk.
In Mexico, a ban on accessing the resource does not exist.
Contrariwise, the country’s legislation allows the use of
species for both conservation and economic development
in rural communities as long as the status of the species,
habitat or ecosystem is not affected. Although licenses are
required for the capture and trade of other animals, only
these following species are particularly prohibited from
commercialisation: manatees, vaquita porpoise, The Puma (puma concolor) habitat ranges from North
leatherback sea turtle, Mexican grey wolf, axolotl America to South America. It is listed as ‘near threatened’
salamander, scarlet macaw, monarch butterfly, elkhorn according to the UICN Red List, but it was only last
coral, brown sea cucumber, and the jaguar. assessed in 2014 with its population trend decreasing.
The use and trade of these felines are mainly sport
Unlike the contraband of guns, drugs, and humans, hunting and specimens collecting. But unfortunately,
wildlife trafficking is not treated as a serious threat to these are not the only cats being hunted in Mexico for
global stability. Perhaps there are greater challenges to be illegal trade. Jaguars, the biggest cats in the Americas
confronted. More likely, however, wildlife crime is not continent are frequently killed and trafficked. 

taken seriously because many people are simply unaware 

of its impacts. Illegal wildlife trade has a significant impact 

on human health as well. 



Regarded as the first pandemic of the 21st century, the 

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) infected 8,000 

people before it was contained. SARS' spread began in 

China's ‘wet’ markets, where numerous wild animals are 

bought and sold, for use as pets, trinkets, food, or 

superstition. Such are the cases of pangolins or rhino 

horns. Many pandemics have affected the world preceding 

Coronavirus COVID-19 but the spread of coronavirus is 

sourced to a live wildlife market in Wuhan, China. 



The trade and consumption of live wild animals in China 

was banned due to the outbreak only to be disrupted 

about a month after when China’s National Health 

Commission published a list of recommended treatments
that included injections containing bear bile powder. In Photographs by Marisol Estrada


Asia, bear bile is used in TCM (Traditional Chinese
China has long been the main destination for black
Medicine) and bears are put through an invasive and
market  endangered animal parts, prized for their
painful process to have it extracted.
medicinal value. Considering the scarcity of Asian tigers,
with a population estimated at just  3,200, the Asian
Regardless of what western countries ideas are about TCM,
demand seems to have found the perfect substitute: the
not even pandemics seem to stop poachers. Instead,
jaguar.
under virus lockdowns, poaching activities have increased
worldwide. Recently, a video circulated on social media Jaguar fangs are offered between $100 USD and $150
about poachers skipping quarantine period to hunt down USD per fang but the price rises as high as $5,000 USD in
Puma cats, in Tixkokob, Yucatan, Mexico.
 China. Borders may be shut at the moment but a high-

 value of wildlife smuggling is expected when COVID-19
restrictions are lifted, according to the Wildlife Justice
Commission.
 This is putting pressure on the 64,000 jaguars that are
estimated to be left in the wild inhabiting the Americas,
according to a publication or else to the 4,800 estimated
jaguars to be left in Mexico.
Photograph by Marisol Estrada
Map 2. Data dashboard on wildlife trafficking in the air transport sector.
Source: https://www.arabianaerospace.aero/routes-to-beat-the-wildlife-smugglers.html
Map 1. Jaguar population range. Source: https://www.wildlifeday.org/content/factsheets/jaguar
While a discussion of the broader impacts of the global
black market is beyond scope, one of its most concerning
effects is a concentration of power in the hands of criminal
organizations that do not hesitate to use violence, spread
fear, encourage corruption, balk economic development,
Map 3. Global smuggling flow. Source: https://www.vox.com/2014/11/30/7221535/global-crime-map
and cause environmental destruction owing to generating
profit. An estimate puts the size of the global black market
at 22.7% of global GDP. It is a globalized illegal economy.
This world of illicit trade involves people around the globe,


from teenagers surfing the black web to terrorist and drug
dealers. In 2016, the United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime (UNODC) identified traffickers from 80 different
countries, as well as trafficking flows from over 100
countries. This means that wildlife trade is truly a global
issue. Despite the fact that certain species are associated
with certain regions, almost most regions of the world are
involved, playing roles such as a source of plucking,
transit or destination for illegal trade. 



The study of wildlife trade and trafficking involving
Mexico has been restrained by several factors such as
limited funding, low priority, lack of interest among
specialists but one of the most consequential factors is the
unsafe environment for fieldwork. Cases found amid
illegal trade or animal abuse barely make it to the news
and if they do is under anonymity. Dealing with wildlife
trafficking is as dangerous as dealing with any other type
of crime.

The Totoaba fish and vaquita porpoise cases are the best
publicly available indicator of heavy involvement in
wildlife smuggling by major criminal networks in Mexico.
An examination of how this fish is smuggled across the
globe provides a concrete study in just how heavily and
 sophisticated this trade is.
As a status symbol, exotic animals like lions, tigers, birds
and snakes, have long been sought after. Colombian drug
businessman Pablo Escobar had a private zoo that included
hippos, and the idea seems to have caught on with Mexican
cartel leaders as well. Rumors has it that a former leader of
los ‘Zetas’ cartel fed his rivals to two tigers and a lion that he
kept on his ranch. 
 regulations.
This indicator is apparently incredibly common in the
criminal underworld. Such is the case, that it is even
showcased in the highly popular Netflix series ‘Tiger King’
in which the wildlife issue was perhaps not explored in
depth. Tigers are big money makers for exhibitors, specially
when they are cubs and the legal ownership of these cats is
quite complicated. In the US for instance, the are no federal
regulations that forbid private ownership of tigers and in
the case of Mexico, they can be legally purchased because
is relatively easy to bred them in captivity. At exhibitors
centres, when a tiger passes away, there are no disposal
regulations regarding its dead and therefore the tiger is
likely to end up in the black market sold by parts. Mexican
laws governing the sale and ownership of exotic animals
are weak at best and poorly enforced.
Throughout the years, many efforts supported by both
governments and NGOs, have aimed at reducing the
incentives for locals to engage in poaching and to stop
plucking animals uncontrollably and illegally.
Photograph by Marisol Estrada
Beyond these indications, however, much remains
uncertain. It seems like criminals involved in wildlife
illegal trade are pulling together mighty rewards in the
short term but in doing so are taking away much more
than just ‘exotic animals’ from the source of trafficking.
Some species can attract tourists and generate revenue
that local communities can use to improve infrastructure,
education, and other public goods following sustainable
On the poaching end, policymakers have to ask how locals
can be prevented from seeking short-term financial
rewards by illegally harvesting exotic species. Adapting
long-term, sustainable approaches might be feasible to
improve the situation. But before anything else, wildlife
trafficking ought to be treated as a crime of a higher level.
Policymakers could take the Vaquita and Totoaba fish as
prime examples of a reality and borrow from successful
models for around the world on how to address the
problem.
Only a fraction of wildlife shipments are detected.
Submitting complaints represents one of the key course
of actions for the most favourable functioning of
environmental policies focused on tackling illegal animal
trafficking.
For instance, perhaps the need to address the constrains
driving demand being encouraged by the displaying of
wealth through possession of live wild animals or animal
products. Moreover, the demand may be motivated by
‘the curative value’ with which exotic plants and animals
are associated, despite the fact that their effectiveness
often lacks scientific support. So both not participating in
the black market and making timely complaints are
important actions in which citizens can participate and
help confront illegal animal trafficking in Mexico and
globally. 



@Solesst sol.estradam@gmail.com