The Effectiveness of Interventions to Manage International Wildlife Trade

A range of interventions have been established to manage international wildlife trade and protect traded species, however there is little consensus as to whether, when, and how they are effective. Here, through a comprehensive, systematic review of >8,000 articles, we appraise the evidence for the effectiveness of interventions on conservation, biological, and/or socio-economic outcomes. Our review examined four intervention types: ‘laws and regulations’, ‘detection and enforcement’, ‘efforts to reduce threats to species’, and ‘support local livelihoods’. We find that while laws and regulations were most well-studied, with some reported positive outcomes, over half of articles reported unintended consequences including shifting exploitation and trade routes, increased illegal trade, and socio-economic trade-offs. Detection and enforcement efforts appeared effective in protecting target species but limited for high-value species especially when combined with low reproductive rates. Efforts to reduce threats to species (particularly through area protection) had positive biological impacts, but some socio-economic trade-offs were reported. Evidence on community-based approaches was limited but our review indicated positive synergies occurring between conservation and socio-economic outcomes. Overall, socio-economic outcomes were underrepresented, limiting understanding of potentially important socio-ecological feedbacks. This review furthers understanding of relevant conditions, risks and enabling factors around effectiveness of wildlife trade interventions.