The Black Market Isn’t Just For Drugs And Guns; It’s Really Hurting Australia’s Wildlife
Native animals are a $20 billion industry and Australia has some of the best.
Watch Black Market now on SBS On Demand, where actor Michael K Williams meets society's outcasts in an unflinching look into the lives of the people who work in underworld economies.
When you think of the black market, there are a few things that probably come to mind. Drugs. Guns. Steve Buscemi in wing tips and a three-piece suit. In actual fact, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. From maple syrup to human hair; wherever there’s demand, supply inevitably follows. Ain’t capitalism grand?
Australians are no stranger to the invisible hand of the underground economy. Hardly surprising, given so many of our ancestors were a bunch of criminals. For decades, shady book dealers did a roaring trade in novels too saucy for the censors. These days, close to 15 percent of all tobacco consumed in Australia is thought to have been purchased through less than legitimate means. And don’t even get me started on the way we watch Game of Thrones (although given how difficult this has been to do legally, maybe it’s slightly more understandable).
But one of the biggest black markets in Australia involves the trade of native fauna. This country is home to some of the most unique animal life on the planet — and unfortunately, business is booming. The illegal sale and/or transport of wildlife is worth tens of billions of dollars each year. Whether the crime is committed with malice, or is just the result of ignorance, the suffering of the animals is all too real.
Just How Big Of A Problem Is This?
It’s big. Really big. On a global scale, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) recently found that “illegal trade in wildlife alone is worth $15-20 billion annually, and is one of the largest illegal trades in the world, along with trafficking of drugs, arms and humans.”
Hard data on animal smuggling in Australia specifically is a little bit harder to come by. A 2011 investigation by Australian Geographic concluded that “experts have no firm grasp on the size of the problem”. “Wildlife theft is a massive, complex and nebulous beast. It ranges from individuals taking the odd bird as a pet, through to organised trafficking by international crime syndicates.”
The former scenario is surprisingly common. Laws differ depending on where you live — which can definitely contribute to the confusion — but in general you need a permit to keep a native animal as a pet. It is also generally illegal to take native animals out of the country. Unless it’s a spider or a cockroach, in which case you’ll probably be fine (although even then you should probably do your research).
More concerning, however, is the organised trade of live animals with the specific intent of turning a profit. Taronga Zoo chief executive Cameron Kerr told the ABC last year that Australian animals were particularly popular in parts of the world where the demand for “exotic” pets is high. “Our own beautiful birds, echidnas and reptiles, which are so special, are under threat,” he said. “What we don’t realise is how much of our beautiful wildlife ends up in illegal trade in South-East Asia.”
Why Does This Matter?
The method of transport for black market fauna varies, but it is almost invariably cruel. “Animals or eggs can be strapped against the body of a smuggler, hidden in luggage, or even mailed through the post,” explains Australian Geographic.
“Customs has found spiders in film canisters, pythons in garden pots, birds stuffed in plastic tubes, lizards stitched into luggage, and eggs fitted in purpose-built vests… these distressing methods of transport can cause animals to become dehydrated, starve or die a slow death.”
There’s also the matter of biodiversity. As tetchy as we are in this country about the introduction of foreign species (with good reason), the removal of native ones is also cause for concern. According to the Australian Institute of Criminology, illegal trade “has the potential to devastate and endanger native faunal and floral populations.”
UNEP goes even further, arguing that “the illegal trade in wildlife has in recent years escalated into a global crisis”. “Much more than a conservation issue, wildlife crime is disrupting development by depriving countries of billions of dollars worth of resources, cashed in by organised international cartels.”
The smuggling of reptile eggs definitely doesn’t seem as exhilarating as gangsters running guns. But it’s still a colossal concern, particularly in a country with as fragile an ecosystem as ours. Don’t lose hope, though! You can make a difference by reporting illegal activity, donating to an animal welfare fund or even just calling out dangerous attitudes towards animals when you see them.
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You might be surprised what illicit trade takes place in all corners of the globe — from abalone to butcher’s meat. Find out for yourself on Black Market, hosted by Michael K Williams. Watch it now on SBS On Demand.
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Feature image: The Simpsons/20th Century Fox Television