Why is there an illegal trade in wildlife?

Put simply, Demand + Greed + Poverty + Ignorance = the illegal wildlife trade

Demand:

• There is a huge demand for all kinds of wildlife products in all kinds of countries.  The newly rich in China want the trappings of luxury, and otter fur, so thick and soft and lustrous, is in huge demand, and they are prepared to pay very high prices for what they want.  The rarer an animal is, the more desirable it is.
• The Traditional Medicine market, and its expansion into the West, has created an enormous demand for those animals deemed to be of benefit, such as pangolins, and bear bile. 
• Law enforcement officers are usually aware that they should be stopping trade in the 'big' species, but are unaware that smaller animals like otters and pangolins are also protected.  
  This is why our campaign is called “Furget-Me-Not” as otters are the forgotten victims of wildlife crime.
• Tourists will buy souvenirs of their visit made from wildlife products with hard currency
• At this point in the chain there is no element of NEED involved. 

Greed:

• There are huge profits to be made in this trade, with very little risk. 
• Middleman traders buy very cheap and sell very expensive up a trade chain reaching from the source to the customers. 
• With weak law enforcement and porous country borders, the trade is very attractive to the unscrupulous.
• Organised crime is often involved in this very lucrative trade, with great resources to evade capture

Poverty:

• The people who actually catch the animals tend to be local fishermen and farmers, who are trying to raise their families on less than $2 per week.  For a single otter skin, they could get many times their annual income, so the temptation is enormous, especially if there is no way to work or educate themselves or their children out of poverty.

Ignorance:

• Local people are often unaware of the way that different species interact to create the environment they depend on. 
• Law enforcement  officers are usually aware that they should be stopping trade in the 'big' species, but are unaware that smaller animals like otters and pangolins are also protected. 
• Tourists are unaware that the souvenirs they buy can be made of illegally traded wildlife. 
• Exotic pet owners can close their eyes to the source of the animals they buy.