TRAFFIC

TRAFFIC works to support stronger regulations and law enforcement efforts based on research and development of new tools and resources. The delivery of the latest trend analyses, capacity building resources, and applied technologies helps generate new opportunities for effective government responses to predict, detect, and deter wildlife trafficking.

• Identifying Ivories: The ability to correctly distinguish between ivories as well as lookalikes made from other natural and synthetic materials is critical to combat the threats of illegal wildlife trade globally and to allow the trade in legal ivories. The TRAFFIC team in the US collaborated with the US Fish and Wildlife Service Forensic Laboratory, the CITES Secretariat and WWF to update and expand the Identification Guide for Ivory and Ivory Substitutes, the go-to resource for physical ivory identification. The guide is available in English, Chinese, French and Spanish, to assist law enforcement officers, forensic scientists, online technology company enforcement staff and wildlife trade management authorities.
• Following the Money: The team is partnering with financial institutions and international providers of data, risk management, and financial sector capacity building, such as ACAMS, to provide critical linkages for law enforcement. The aim is to make it more difficult for known wildlife traffickers to launder funds and receive financing through heightened risk information and alerts as a result of the information, tools, and resources provided by the partners working together with TRAFFIC and WWF.

The current COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the fragile link between human health and wildlife exploitation, and how poorly regulated and illegal trade in wildlife can catalyze disease transmission and shatter global economies. Experts agree that there is an urgent need for monitoring systems for wildlife markets and supply chains to identify zoonotic risks and prevent a new pandemic. TRAFFIC team in the US is developing and supporting a suite of initiatives and projects with partners globally on learning from COVID-19, to equip the health and environment sector with tools and systems to help prevent viral spillover.

• Predictive Modeling of High-Risk Taxa: TRAFFIC and WWF are building a collaboration between academic and tech company partners to design a predictive modeling tool that identifies emerging trends in demand for, and sales of, species that are a high risk of zoonotic transmission and identifies hotspots where they are being sold, both in physical and online marketplaces. The machine learning, big data system uses a combination of online search and social media data that overlays offers for sale as wells as desire to purchase high risk species, which is combined with ground-truthed market research and other data sources.

The TRAFFIC office in the US provides objective research and analysis of wildlife trade and policy to catalyze bipartisan action to tackle illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade domestically and abroad. The team helps to leverage the rich expertise, resources, and influence available in the US for cohesive and impactful programs on wildlife trade. This including assisting with the creation and application of projects such as the USAID Wildlife TRAPS project and USAID ROUTES Partnership, and USAID Wildlife Crime Tech Challenge. The TRAFFIC Senior Director was a member of the Advisory Council to the US Federal Advisory Council to the Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking from 2013-2017.

• Providing Critical Evidence and Testimony: The TRAFFIC team provides objective information to WWF to influence legislation, regulations, and diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing illegal wildlife trade globally. For example, the Eliminate, Neutralize, and Disrupt (END) Wildlife Trafficking Act of 2016 and Wildlife Conservation and Anti-Trafficking Act of 2019. 

Acknowledging that law enforcement alone cannot tackle the challenges of illegal wildlife trade, TRAFFIC partners closely with the Americas-based private sector across global supply chains to transform business operations, shutting down loopholes that enable wildlife trafficking and support regulated, safe, and fair legal trade.

• The ROUTES Partnership: The USAID Reducing Opportunities for Unlawful Transport of Endangered Species (ROUTES) Partnership brings together transport and logistics companies, government agencies, development groups, law enforcement, conservation organizations, and donors to disrupt wildlife trafficking by reducing the use of legal transportation supply chains and forms a key element of the concerted international response to addressing wildlife poaching and associated criminal activities worldwide. In the Americas, TRAFFIC facilitates outreach and engagement with the ROUTES partners and US government agencies. TRAFFIC leads efforts to implement ROUTES project elements in the Americas, including airports and transport company initiatives in target countries in Latin America and North America.
• Stopping Illegal Wildlife Trade Online: The Coalition to End Wildlife Trafficking Online unites e-commerce, social media, and search companies to reduce illegal wildlife trade on web-based platforms. Launched in 2018 and jointly convened by WWF, TRAFFIC, and IFAW, the Coalition currently includes nearly 40 member companies. The members work together to harmonize prohibited wildlife policies, train company staff to detect prohibited species, educate and empower users to report wildlife trafficking, enhance automated detection systems and share best practices. The TRAFFIC team in Washington DC coordinates the Coalition globally to synergize efforts and standards of the Coalition and serves as facilitators and experts for the companies.