Wildlife trade in the uk
The UK still plays a major part in the global trade in illegal wildlife despite successful campaigning work by WWF.
In 2003, WWF and TRAFFIC (the wildlife trade monitoring network) successfully lobbied to make it an arrestable offence to illegally trade in wildlife and extended the maximum prison sentence it carried from two to five years. Yet, there is still much work to be done to halt the illegal trade in wildlife in the UK.
In the year running from April 2006 to March 2007, customs officials seized more than 163,000 illegal wildlife products crossing UK borders.
142 tonnes of illegally traded ramin wood were seized in the UK between 2001 and 2007. Ramin – often used for picture frames and snooker cues – is a Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) listed species for which trading permits are required.
Although the illegal trade has been identified as one of the UK government’s national priorities in combating wildlife crime, the UK’s ability to control the problem is influenced by its membership of the EU – still a major centre for illegal wildlife trade.
What the law says
To find out if a wildlife product requires a permit or is illegal to import, export, buy or sell, please contact Animal Heath's Wildlife Licensing and Registration Service. Either call 0117 372 8774, fax 0117 372 8206 or email: wildlife.licensing@animalhealth.gsi.gov
How WWF is tackling wildlife crime in the UK
WWF is involved in a number of initiatives to challenge the illegal trade in endangered species.
Please report illegal wildlife trading
We need you to help us fight the illegal trade in wildlife. By lending us your eyes and ears, you could make a real difference to the future of hundreds of endangered animals and plants. If you’ve seen something suspicious report it to us.
Useful links
- How wildlife criminals cheat
- Find out more about TRAFFIC
- Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
How you can help
Downloads
Souvenirs alert guide
Latest news
Elephant trade hotspot
Asian elephants are being smuggled from Burma into neighbouring Thailand for ‘elephant trekking’ tourism, a new report by the wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC revealed today.
Illegal trade in European wild birds highlighted
The illegal hunting of European wild birds for food in the European Union – an issue of concern to WWF – has been raised during a meeting of EU government agencies involved in regulating wildlife trade.
Huge haul of dead owls and live lizards in Malaysia
WWF is urging people and governments to help tackle illegal hunting and trading after thousands of endangered wild animals were seized in two raids in Malaysia. The animals, including over 7,000 live clouded monitor lizards and almost 900 ’oven-ready’ plucked owls, were probably bound for China to be sold in restaurants.
Controls needed on China’s wildlife trade
China’s rapidly increasing and unsustainable wildlife trade – including its traditional medicine trade, its consumption of wild animals and the use of commodities such as wood – needs greater control, says a new report supported by WWF.
Pirates taking heavy toll of toothfish
The future of the Patagonian and Antarctic toothfish, along with the highly valuable fishery concentrated in the Southern Ocean, are under significant pressure from illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.