Hunting & Wildlife Trade in Asia

Overview
WCS’s Hunting & Wildlife Trade Program was established in response to an overwhelming threat to wildlife in tropical forests today: unsustainable hunting and trade in wild animals and their parts. In Asia, trade in wildlife products in the form of meat, pets, trophies, and medicine is escalating at an alarming rate. This unprecedented boom is due to a combination of factors, including habitat loss, road-building that links forests to markets, a growing human population, growing urban wealth, and commercial trade across the region that is increasingly well organized, though often illegal.

In the past, wildlife hunting was more limited as it was done mainly for subsistence. Today, across much of Asia, hunting is a large-scale, commercial practice. Human populations have increased by an average of about 310% in Southeast Asia in just the last 50 years. Simultaneously, urban household wealth has grown and traditional use of wildlife products is being replaced by fashionable use. This confluence of trends has created a vast demand for, and ability to afford, wildlife products in cities. As a result, commercial hunters are emptying Asia’s forests of their wildlife.

The impact on wildlife populations is devastating. During the last 50 years in Vietnam, 12 species of large animals have become extinct or virtually extinct due mainly to hunting and wildlife trade. In Doi Inthanon and Doi Suthep National Parks in northern Thailand, tigers, elephants and wild cattle have been hunted out of existence; and in Kubah National Park in Sarawak, Malaysia, the same fate has befallen hornbills and primates. Some markets in Indochina now only sell small birds, bats, and frogs since the area’s large animal populations have been decimated by over-hunting.

The Human Aspect
The commercialization of wildlife trade in Asia threatens the traditional lifestyles, health, and cultural integrity of rural peoples, some of whom depend on hunting for their livelihoods. For people who depend solely on wild meat for protein, hunting is only sustainable if the human population density is less than one person per square kilometer of tropical forest. Commercial hunting quickly increases the wildlife offtake to unsustainable levels, putting traditional lifestyles at risk.

WCS Activities
WCS addresses the issues of hunting and wildlife trade in Asia through 33 projects in 11 countries. These projects aim to curtail commercial trade of endangered species by: 1) limiting non-subsistence hunting to reduce the supply of wildlife from forests, 2) reducing the demand for wildlife products in cities, and 3) curtailing the transport of wildlife between forests and cities. Educating people and supporting national governments to enforce trade restrictions are two key tactics we use to reduce demand in cities. Our approach is to make scientific assessments and to work closely with partners in applying practical solutions on the ground. Through our in-depth knowledge and sensitivity to complex issues, we propose solutions that address the symptoms and underlying causes of the intense increase in hunting and wildlife trade while also supporting the livelihoods of rural communities.

WCS is working with…

• Local communities in, for example, Russia, Myanmar and Mongolia. In Russia, WCS is developing a groundbreaking Tiger Friendly Certification Program. By increasing the value of products derived from tiger-friendly lands, this program will provide economic incentives for local people to protect tigers and their prey.
• Timber companies to reduce logging-associated hunting and wildlife trade in Sarawak, Malaysia. WCS works cooperatively with both the government and logging company in this program, which includes research, education, enforcement, and development of non-wildlife sources of food and income. 
• Governments to build strong partnerships to manage wildlife trade. Specifically, we provide scientific data and technical assistance to governments to inform their policy and legal decisions. We also provide training for customs agents, enforcement officers, park managers, and others.
• Other NGOs to create stronger partnerships that will increase our collective effectiveness in managing unsustainable wildlife trade across Asia.