Part 2 of the Wildlife crime – understanding risks, avenues for action learning series provides companies, policy makers, practitioners and law enforcement with information and background knowledge on crime and corruption in the exotic pet trade.
3. Pet trafficking supply chain
3.2. The illegal pet trade on display: trade shows
Trade fairs for the sale of live animals serve to popularise and legitimise the purchase of live wild animals. They also provide a convenient cover for wildlife traffickers to expand their client base among unscrupulous animal collectors.
An example is the Terraristika Reptile Fair in Hamm, Germany, one of the largest trade shows in Europe. It is considered a magnet for wildlife criminals, where collectors, smugglers and traffickers meet to buy and sell protected and trafficked species (Hruby, 2019).
Individuals accused of past involvement in wildlife crime regularly take part in animal sales at Hamm. Repeat offenders may prefer to meet clients online and arrange for the transfer of species in nearby hotels and parking lots to avoid any scrutiny in the fair.
The most expensive animals for sale at Hamm are CITES-protected species that cannot be exported for commercial trade.
Despite the high risk of trafficking involved in the import and sales of such species, sellers only need to provide a self-generated “proof of origin” letter to document the sale and certify that the specimen was bred in captivity. This is easily manipulated to conceal wildlife trafficking.
Photo: Chameleon in the forests of Lushoto, Tanzania. Chameleons and other reptiles are threatened by the pet trade. Photo by Patricia Raxter.