Quick scan of illegal wildlife trade from Latin America to Europe

Illegal wildlife exploitation in Latin America has long been under-prioritised compared to other regions. IFAW published a report on wildlife trafficking in the 18 Spanish-speaking countries of the Americas (Hispanic America) between 2017 and 2022. The findings bolstered claims that Europe is a key destination for wildlife trafficked from Latin America, particularly reptiles, birds, and amphibians, and that further investigation was needed.

Following the report, this European wildlife crime snapshot study further examines the trafficking from Latin America of amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles to Europe, based on seizures reported in the media between 2017 and 2023. The scope was extended to include non-Spanish speaking countries, as well as a survey to assess online trade in these species in Europe, and the report includes interviews with Dutch and Spanish law enforcers.

The Executive Summary is available here.