Resolving Uncertainties in the Legality of Wildlife Trade to Support Better Outcomes for Wildlife and People
ABSTRACT Wildlife use and trade support the livelihoods of millions of people worldwide but also threaten thousands of species. Legal instruments, when effectively designed and implemented, can help regulate trade and mitigate negative impacts. However, activities along supply chains are rarely categorically legal or illegal, with considerable uncertainties regarding legality in the wildlife trade. These uncertainties can compromise the success of efforts to ensure, or improve, sustainability, but are often overlooked. Here, we categorize legal uncertainties in wildlife trade into three dimensions: institutional, operational, and perceptual. We explore their implications for sustainable management and discuss potential interventions to address them, drawing on examples from wildlife management and other sectors. Resolving these uncertainties can reduce unsustainable and illegal trade, strengthen traceability and enforcement, and promote equitable benefit‐sharing among actors. Our findings offer actionable insights for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers to improve the clarity and effectiveness of wildlife trade management, advancing both conservation and socio‐economic objectives.
Authors
- Leonardo Manir Feitosa (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1988-5326)
- Alejandra Pizarro Choy (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6389-3473)
- Daniel W. S. Challender (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0606-1715)
- Chloe E. R. Hatten (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7592-7930)
- Joël Djagoun
- Sara Bronwen Hunter (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7508-7011)
- Wahyu Nurbandi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9315-5786)
- Michelle Anagnostou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3859-3123)
- Reshu Bashyal (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7341-9767)
- Sonia Dhanda (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5440-9229)
- E.J. Milner‐Gulland (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0324-2710)
- Hannah N. K. Sackey (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4695-171X)
- Thomasina E. E. Oldfield
- Takudzwa S. Mutezo
Institutions
- University of Waterloo (CA)
- University of California, Santa Barbara (US)
- University of Sussex (GB)
- University of St Andrews (GB)
- Princeton University (US)
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (GB)
- Princeton Public Schools (US)
- University of Oxford (GB)
- Oldham Council (GB)
- University College London (GB)
- University of Hong Kong (HK)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Conservation Letters
- Published
- 2025-05-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1111/conl.13110
- Primary Topic
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- UK Research and Innovation
- University of Oxford
- A.G. Leventis Foundation