Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network

We come across a lot of stories on the internet about poaching and illegal animal trade. While doing this research, we came across this website for Traffic, the Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network. Great resource for this issue.

TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, works to ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature. TRAFFIC is a joint programme of WWF and IUCN - The World Conservation Union


FOCAL AREAS OF WORK

*Working in keeping with the conservation objectives and methods, TRAFFIC sets out to achieve measurable results in four areas, updated every three years, to maintain currency. For 2005-08, these areas are as follows:

*EARLY WARNING - TRAFFIC aims to obtain market intelligence on emerging or newly discovered issues and trends posing trade-related threats to wildlife, in order to catalyse responses to these.

*FLAGSHIP SPECIES IN TRADE - TRAFFIC aims to make emergency interventions for selected species threatened by trade. Flagship species are those selected as ambassadors, or symbols, for wider trade and conservation challenges

*RESOURCE SECURITY - TRAFFIC aims to support trade measures that help improve the security of key wildlife resources.

*WILDLIFE TRADE HOTSPOTS - TRAFFIC aims to focus action in priority trade centres and trade routes where it can bring about greatest benefit, to reduce wildlife trade threats to species, resources and ecoregions.

It's an important site to visit if you are interested or active in this issue.