Illegal Wildlife Trade in a Tourism and Biodiversity Hotspot

ABSTRACT There are clear connections between tourism, development, and sustainable use—particularly in biodiversity hotspots, where tourists may unknowingly purchase souvenirs made from protected wildlife. This issue is explicitly recognized in the Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG15, Life on Land, and SDG16, Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. On the island of Bali, a premier tourist destination with a strong local Hindu culture, we assessed the trade in legally protected wildlife (2022–2025) with the aim of improving the effectiveness of protected species regulations. We recorded 1440 animals for sale (849 as body parts and 591 alive). Almost half the species (27/59) were globally threatened, from other biodiverse hotspots, with few links to Balinese culture or society. Tourism on the island appears to have a negative impact on the environment, and this has implications for the sustainable development of Balinese society. We advocate for promoting sustainable tourism, embedded in Balinese culture, respecting local legislation and traditions.

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Publication Details

Journal
Sustainable Development
Published
2025-08-09
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.70129
Citations
3
Primary Topic
Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
5.15

Funders

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article

Illegal Wildlife Trade in a Tourism and Biodiversity Hotspot

Vincent Nijman, Chris R. Shepherd, Erly Sintya, Kuntayuni Kuntayuni et al.
3 citations
Sustainable Development
Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
5.15
article

Illegal Wildlife Trade in a Tourism and Biodiversity Hotspot

Vincent Nijman, Chris R. Shepherd, Erly Sintya, Kuntayuni Kuntayuni, Marco Campera, S. Sunny Nelson, Jessica Chavez, Anne W. Rimoin, Desak Ketut Tristiana Sukmadewi, Lisa E. Hensley, I Nyoman Aji Duranegara Payuse, Ratna Ayu Widiaswari
article en
3 citations

Abstract

ABSTRACT There are clear connections between tourism, development, and sustainable use—particularly in biodiversity hotspots, where tourists may unknowingly purchase souvenirs made from protected wildlife. This issue is explicitly recognized in the Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG15, Life on Land, and SDG16, Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. On the island of Bali, a premier tourist destination with a strong local Hindu culture, we assessed the trade in legally protected wildlife (2022–2025) with the aim of improving the effectiveness of protected species regulations. We recorded 1440 animals for sale (849 as body parts and 591 alive). Almost half the species (27/59) were globally threatened, from other biodiverse hotspots, with few links to Balinese culture or society. Tourism on the island appears to have a negative impact on the environment, and this has implications for the sustainable development of Balinese society. We advocate for promoting sustainable tourism, embedded in Balinese culture, respecting local legislation and traditions.

Sustainable DevelopmentVol. 33(6)
Oxford Brookes University (GB), United States Department of Agriculture (US), University of California, Los Angeles (US), Wildlife Conservation Society Canada (CA), Lincoln Park Zoo (US), Warmadewa University (ID), University of Sheffield (GB)
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Oxford Brookes University, Conchologists of America, Royal Geographical Society, Universitas Warmadewa, Agricultural Research Service
Decent work and economic growth, Responsible consumption and production
Openalex Percentile: Top 5%
Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
5.15
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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