this illegal animal trade threatens the survival of countless species. For years, scientists have warned of the problems posed by this clandestine trade around the world, as it threatens both commercialized species and associated ecosystems, and also allows for the spread of exotic animals. There has been a growth in recent years illegal traffic of all kinds of spiders as exotic pets that are causing a major ecological problem and getting out of control.
Tarantulas, spiders and scorpions are part of the more than 1,200 species of arachnids traded or currently traded worldwide. and 80% of them are unchecked. This is the result of a study published in the journal Science. Communication Biology warns of the problems posed by this unregulated emerging market. To reach their conclusions, Alice Hughes, a researcher in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Hong Kong, and her colleagues investigated the global trade in arachnids between 2000 and 2021.
The arachnid trade exploits a wide legal loophole. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has regulated the legal status of only a small number of these species. An example of this is that only 39 of the 52,060 known spider species are regulated on the market.
In most cases, their vulnerability status is also unknown, because Less than 1% of the more than one million known invertebrate species have been evaluated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
But if there’s one thing that worries researchers, it’s the high percentage of spiders taken directly from their natural habitat. According to reports, two-thirds of animals of all traded species were taken from the wild. The most popular emperor scorpions were caught in their natural habitat in up to 77% of the cases studied. One million were imported into the United States.
Only 1 in 10 animals survive
could have been the last adverse impact on wild populations if harvests continue at current ratebecause they can cross the ecological limit. The threat to the survival of trafficked species is one of the consequences of illegal animal trafficking. It is added to harsh transport conditions to which animals are subjected object of commercial traffic. In fact, only one in 10 people survive the trip.
During the trip they are introduced tied at all ends in PVC tubes (mainly birds), double bottom suitcases, smothered in passenger coats, boxes or leaky containers of any kind. hundreds of kilometers from water, land and air without water and food.
Another consequence is habitat destruction and loss of biodiversity due to changes in ecosystem life cycles. This problem is of a size that will affect human society, as any natural change affects economic activities. Also, these animals can introduce wild species to other countries where they are not found, disrupting local wildlife, often becoming apex predators or transmitting diseases that other animals have never fought.
Spain, gateway
Despite warnings from the scientific community and calls for stronger regulation, the illegal trade in species continues to grow to the point that each year, It is considered the third largest organized crime industry in the world.. Spain is one of the hotspots and gateways for birds, reptiles and small monkeys from Africa and the Americas.
According to a study published in the journal ‘Science’, 60% of wild animal species are secretly sold. In this sense, 18% of the vertebrate species (representing 5,579 species) existing on our planet are traded worldwide, but such traffic is prohibited in many cases.
It’s not surprising because despite all the damage it does to animals and ecosystems, it’s still a very profitable business. According to the United Nations, wildlife smuggling costs between 10,000 and 20,000 million euros per year. Fashion, pets, entertainment and tourism, and even medicine have found a place to take advantage of this black market.
…..
Environment department contact address:[email protected]