Home Science The most trafficked animals in the world

The most trafficked animals in the world

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The wildlife trade is nothing new, even increasing, making the danger to animals greater than ever. In fact, some of the rarest mammals on the planet are the most sought-after. And with some species on the brink of extinction, suppressing wildlife trade is one of the world’s most pressing conservation challenges.
Pangolin

The pangolin is the only animal, also the only mammal to have a protective keratinous layer on the skin. As solitary creatures, their diet consists mainly of ants and termites, and they use their long tongue to capture prey.

Mammals have long been threatened by poaching for their flesh and scales, intended for use in traditional Chinese medicine. As of January 2020, eight pangolin species have been listed as Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Today, pangolin is still the most trafficked mammal in the world.

Hills of sea turtle prey

Named for its curved, sharp beak with a prominent tomium, this sea turtle lives in the ocean, but mostly inhabits shallow lagoons and coral reefs.

Although distributed around the world, tortoise sea turtles are critically endangered. For many decades, its shell has been the source of raw materials used for decorative purposes. Illegal fishing activities have contributed to the alarming decline of this species.

Gorilla

Native to Malaysia and Indonesia, orangutans are one of the most intelligent primates, also the largest tree-dwelling animal of the great ape.

Human activities have dramatically reduced the number and range of orangutans. It’s no surprise that all three species of orangutans – Bornean, Sumatra and Tapanuli – are critically endangered according to the IUCN Red List.

Rhino

The name rhino is derived from the Greek word “hinokerōs”, meaning “with horns in the nose”. Often abbreviated as rhino, two of the remaining species are native to Africa and three are in southern Asia.

Poachers often cut the carcasses of this species, mammals also slaughtered thousands for their horns, bought and sold on the black market, and used by some cultures as jewelry. intellectual or traditional medicine. The IUCN Red List identifies the Black, Javanese and Sumatran rhinos as Critically Endangered.

Saiga’s gazelle

Found only in one region of Russia and 3 regions of Kazakhstan, the saigas form very large swarms of herbivores on the peninsula, savannas and meadows. Their outstanding feature is the pair of nostrils that expand close together, facing downwards.

The horns of the male antelope are used in traditional Chinese medicine, and this need has wiped out the species in China. According to the Convention on Migratory Wilds, the decline of the saiga is one of the fastest recent population collapses of large mammals. Currently, this animal is still critically endangered.

Tigers

The tiger is the largest extant cat and one of the most popular and recognized animals in the world. It is the national animal of India, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Korea.

Listed in the IUCN Red List as Endangered, tigers have been trafficked for hair and body parts for centuries. Many people in China and other parts of Asia believe that different parts of the tiger have medicinal properties, including pain relievers and aphrodisiacs. This falsehood has caused the black market to thrive for many years, and the number of tigers has dropped worryingly.

Elephant

These gentle giants are the largest land animals available, and are scattered throughout Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia.

One of the biggest threats to elephant populations is the ivory trade, since they are poached for their tusks. It is estimated that 30,000 elephants are killed each year by poachers. IUCN lists African Elephants as Endangered and Asian Elephants as Endangered.

Sumatran gazelle

This little-known antelope is native to mountainous forests on the Thai-Malay peninsula and on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Despite its near inaccessible altitude habitat, this timid and elusive creature is frequently caught in the sights of poachers’ rifles, shot for their flesh and parts. The body is said to have their medicinal properties. The IUCN has rated the Sumatran markhor as Endangered.

Hong Hoang has a hat

As a large and impressive member of the cormorant family, the cormorant is named after its helmet-like structure, accounting for about 11% of its 3 kg body weight. This bird is native to Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, Borneo, Thailand and Myanmar.

The cephalopod was included on the IUCN Red List Near Threatened Critically in 2015. According to data published by TRAFFIC, Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network, 2,170 animals were confiscated in just three years in China and Indonesia alone.

Gaur

Gaur, also known as the Indian bison, is native to South and Southeast Asia, mainly confined to evergreen or semi-evergreen and semi-evergreen deciduous forests. Gaur is hunted mercilessly by poachers for the purpose of meat, sold at high prices to satisfy international markets, gaurs are also slaughtered to trade in booty. This animal has been listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List since 1986.

Macaws

Macaws are some of the most vivid wildlife on Earth native to Central and South America, and are also found in Mexico, most of which are associated with forests, especially rainforests.

Their ability to mimic voices and possess great intelligence has made parrots highly regarded as pets. This has led to a worrying increase in poaching to the point that some species face extinction. In fact, most parakeets are threatened in the wild, a fact underscored by the rapid rate of deforestation around the world.

Snow leopard

A large-looking cat that calls the mountains of Central and South Asia home, the snow leopard is perfectly adapted to live in the cold. Unfortunately, the beautiful snow leopard’s fur is extremely appealing to poachers, who are involved in the illegal trade of animal skin and body parts. Snow leopards are listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List because the global population is now estimated to be less than 10,000 adults and is expected to decline by about 10% by 2040.

Shark

There are more than 500 species of sharks swimming in the world’s oceans. Famous species such as the tiger shark, the blue shark, the great white shark, the mako shark, the banging shark and the hammerhead shark are the ultimate predators.

However, sharks must fear humans more than humans are afraid of sharks. In fact, many shark populations are threatened by human activities, with some being hunted for their fins (used in soups). According to Oceana, 73 million terrifying sharks end the global fin trade each year, traded for food.

Birds of prey

Birds of prey, also known as raptors, include eagles, hawks, kites, hawks, owls and falconry. Among the animal kingdom’s top predators, these birds are also some of the most powerful and agile wildlife in the world.

But because of their speed and agility, some species become prey for poachers due to their exceptional hunting ability. The International Association for falconry and bird conservation identifies poaching of rare species, such as the extent of the Bonelli eagle plunder crisis (pictured) in Southern Europe by criminal organizations, as The reason may cause many species to become locally extinct.

Abalone

Abalone is a species of sea snail with the number of species recognized worldwide ranging from 30 to 130. Abalone meat is considered by many to be a desirable food, and is eaten raw or cooked. by many cultures. In the photo is an example with a living sponge on its shell.

According to TRAFFIC, South African abalone is the most exported species in aquaculture anywhere in the world. 95% of South Africa’s abalone is exported to Hong Kong, where it is consumed as a delicacy or re-exported.

According to Stars Insider

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