What Are John Hume’s Rhinos Really Worth?

Are 2,000 captive-bred, farmed rhinos of any value from either a commercial or conservation perspective?
John Hume, the owner of the world’s largest private rhino herd, is auctioning off his rhino farm, the starting bid being US$10 million. The question is, what are Hume’s rhinos really worth?
In recent weeks...
50 Years Going Backwards

The International Institute for Sustainable Development’s (IISD) SDG Knowledge Hub recently invited a number of guest articles about the trade in wild species. John Scanlon (with co-authors) contributed a number of articles to explore the state of CITES 50 years after it was agreed.
Before taking a closer look at...
We Live In Interesting And Terrifying Times – Are You Ready For 2023?

With the end of 2022 on the horizon, the Nature Needs More team would like to wish you a peaceful holiday with your family and friends. The coming weeks bring us all a time for reflection.
It has certainly been a big year for biodiversity, from CITES CoP 19 to...
For The Price Of An Apartment

“The wildlife trade is one of the most lucrative trades in the world. The LEGAL trade into the EU alone is worth €100 billion annually.”, stated a 2016 European Parliament Report. The choice of words bears repeating, “one of the most lucrative trades in the world”.
The trade is not...
Sharks: Worth More Than The Sum Of Their Body Parts

From fins to teeth, skin and meat, the market for shark body parts is a grave concern, with shark finning being the most contentious issue.
The coverage of CITES CoP19 in the mainstream media has been thin on the ground, but one decision which did get attention was to list...
Fix The CITES Funding Crisis – Business Must Pay True Cost Of Trade Regulation

The CITES convention is rapidly approaching its 50-year anniversary; the convention was opened for signatures in 1973 and CITES entered into force on 1 July 1975. This milestone cannot pass without CITES providing all the evidence that it is fit-for-purpose, particularly given the looming extinction crisis.
CITES never included a...
The Road To CITES CoP19

Will 2022 Be Yet Another Year Of Lost Opportunities and Greenwashing?
Participating in CITES CoP 18, in Geneva in 2019, it was clear how broken the system regulating the international trade of the world’s most endangered species has become.

So, what could provide the leverage for change?
The only light...
The Desire To Supply Is Driving Biodiversity Loss

In recent years the importance of demand reduction campaigns has come to the fore. Certainly, well researched and designed demand reduction campaigns have the potential to trigger behaviour change in consumers and drive down their desire to purchase rare species.
But the demand reduction strategy cannot succeed without an equally...
Guesstimations and ‘Encouraging’ Action – This Is No Way To Protect Wildlife

The conservation sector needs to stop calling what are effectively ‘guesstimations’ an evidence-based approach. After decades of trade in endangered species there is still no reliable information on what constitutes a sustainable offtake.
Even though this trillion-dollar trade has made mindboggling profits for some of the wealthiest companies and people,...
CITES Epic Failure: The Legal Trade Of The Siamese Crocodile

If there is one species that shows CITES doesn’t work in its current form it’s the Siamese Crocodile. These crocodiles were once widespread throughout much of mainland Southeast Asia. From the 1950s commercial hunting for skins and then the collection of animals to stock crocodile farms, again to supply the...
Yet ‘Another’ One-Off Ivory Sale Requested – Why It Shouldn’t Be Allowed

Zimbabwe has indicated that it is planning to present a case to CITES, CoP19 in Panama later this year, to allow (another) one-off sale of its ivory stockpile. The country is also rallying its allies (Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia) to support the push to open up the...