Wildlife trade involves the buying, selling, or bartering of wildlife and wildlife products, which can be done for commercial, subsistence, or cultural purposes. Wildlife trade can be legal or illegal. Legal wildlife trade can be sustainable when conducted responsibly (i.e. adhering to regulations, zero tolerance to corrupt practices and avoiding trade in endangered species), while illegal wildlife trade (IWT) is an unregulated and unsustainable practice. It is crucial to recognise that IWT can involve species for which international trade is prohibited and species subject to harvest quotas and permit systems.

The economic significance of African ecosystems is recognised to be undervalued – and there is limited data available on the economic impact of IWT. Africa is one of the largest global exporters of wildlife products, both legally and illegally. Live primates, live insects and animal hides are the most traded legally, while in illegal trade, ivory (from elephants and rhinos) and pangolins are amongst the most traded.

This Trade Report examines the extent of official cross-border trade in African wildlife and focuses specifically on the efforts made by select African countries to combat this trade and promote sustainable wildlife ecosystems and trading practices. The report profiles the wildlife trade flows in Africa, explores important regulatory measures at the global and regional level that African countries have committed to, and highlights some co-management models and experiences in select African countries to showcase sustainability efforts being undertaken.