Impacts of U.S. Consumer Demand on the Illegal and Unsustainable Trade of Wildlife Products

On March 5, 2008, the Committee on Natural Resources held a hearing entitled "Poaching American Security, Impacts of Illegal Wildlife Trade." During this hearing we heard about the serious consequences of the global illegal wildlife trade, including the threats to our national security, to human health, and to biodiversity. The Committee's investigation also revealed that the U.S. is largely driving this trade, with the value of wildlife imports to the United States more than doubling over the past eight years.

Yet, while the U.S. consumer is, in many cases, unwittingly fueling the illegal and unsustainable trade of wildlife and wildlife products, the U.S. strategy to educate consumers is woefully lacking in resources at the Federal level, and is largely left to private and nonprofit organizations. Without awareness and education, American consumers will continue to make uninformed decisions that contribute to this growing problem.