The Links between Human Trafficking and Wildlife Trafficking

Abstract

This chapter reviews the convergences that occur between human trafficking and illegal wildlife trade according to information and case studies reported in the literature, including academic and gray publications, as well as the authors’ personal knowledge and empirical research in this area. We outline human trafficking and illegal wildlife trade convergences in a variety of shapes across different landscapes, including taxa and wildlife products. The impetus for this study is to highlight (1) the extensive ways that human exploitation and wildlife exploitation are closely related, and (2) offer explanations for such crime convergences. The chapter proceeds with an explanation of various types of human trafficking and wildlife trafficking convergences, followed by a discussion of the theoretical conceptualization of links between the two criminal enterprises. We conclude by outlining future research directions and the implications of the convergence between human and wildlife exploitation.