Wildlife Trafficking: Conservation and Illicit Trade Dynamics

Illegal wildlife trade (IWT) is one of the most persistent forms of transnational crime, with ecological and social consequences. Beyond the illicit exchange of species, it accelerates biodiversity loss, contributes to zoonotic disease risks, and undermines livelihoods in contexts of weak governance and corruption. The chapter conceptualizes IWT as a multi-layered system shaped by structural, institutional, and social dynamics. First, it explores how poverty, conflict, and corruption in source regions interact with luxury demand, conspicuous consumption, and digital platforms in destination markets. Second, it examines trafficking infrastructures as modular and adaptive networks that blend legal and illegal mechanisms across physical and digital routes. Third, it analyzes enforcement and conservation challenges, including corruption in licensing, reliance on paper permits, militarized responses, and data gaps. Finally, it highlights gendered inequalities, showing how women often occupy invisible roles that remain absent from enforcement statistics.