1、 https:/crsreports.congress.gov October 15, 2015Wildlife Poaching and Trafficking in Asia: An OverviewScope of the Problem Asian demand for illegal wildlife has increased in recent years, raising concerns about species conservation amid heightened poaching rates. As one of several contributing threa
2、ts to biodiversity, wildlife poaching also raises national security and transnational crime concerns. Crimes related to illegal wildlife reportedly generate billions of dollars each year, a source of funds that may fuel instability and finance armed groups, particularly in Africa. Closer to illicit
3、retail outlets, the markup on wildlife products is most pronounced in Asia, and Asian criminal groups largely control this high-profit, low-risk black marketoften benefitting from the cooperation of corrupt government officials to facilitate cross-border shipments and protect traffickers. According
4、to the United Nations, environmental crimes represent nearly one-third of the Asia-Pacific black market, conservatively estimated to be worth approximately $86 billion annually (see Figure 1, below). Illegal wildlife, however, represents only a small portion of major environmental crimes in the regi