Wildlife Trafficking : A Crime Against Environment

ABOUT THE BOOK ?Wildlife trafficking is a major part of underground economy, and the largest global illegal trade after drug trafficking. Illegal wildlife trade is driven mainly by the huge profits earned by the traffickers with comparatively low risk and low penalties make the trade highly lucrative. Unlike other conventional crimes, no stigma is attached to the offenders who commit wildlife crimes. During the past decade, wildlife trafficking, the poaching or other taking of protected or managed species and the illegal trade in wildlife and their related parts and products, has escalated into an international crisis. Each year, hundreds of millions of plants and animals are caught or harvested from the wild and then sold as food, pets, ornamental plants, leather, tourist curios, and medicine whereas a great deal of this trading is operated illegally threatening the survival of many endangered species. This study is designed to explain the basic structure of organised criminal group, their modus operandi and trade route; the prevalence of, and drivers leading to, wildlife trafficking; international laws and regulation, and the efforts of the nongovernment al organi zat i ons to influence the wildlife protection policy agenda?.