Wildlife trafficking goes deeper than commonly understood.
Deeper under the sea in Honduras where sea cucumbers are fished by the ton to feed demand in Asia. Deeper into Colombia's hinterlands where the donkey population has plummeted, their skins sold to make gelatin in China. Deeper into Peru's turtle hatcheries and Mexico's crocodile farms, where specimens intended to help restore populations in the wild are being trafficked all the same.
This investigative series was carried out in conjunction with American University’s Center for Latin American and Latino Studies (CLALS).
Donkey Skin Trafficking on Colombia’s Northern Coast
When hundreds of skinned donkeys appeared on Colombia’s northern coast without explanation, locals, and later authorities, started asking questions.
The Illegal Sea Cucumber Trade in Kaukira, Honduras
Both banks of the salty canal near the town of Kaukira show e vestiges of the boom-bust nature of life in this area. A pair of abandoned, two-story buildings lie…
Can Crocodile and Turtle Farms Reduce Mexico's Eco-Trafficking?
Government-regulated crocodile and turtle farms have helped reduce illegal hunting and protect endangered species, but the illicit trade continues.
Peru's Turtle Traffickers Operate Under Veneer of Legality
The taricaya turtle conservation program in northern Peru has been heralded as bringing an endangered species back from the brink of extinction while protecting millions of hectares of rainforest from…
Related Content
The profits on offer for eco-trafficking rival those of drugs, arms and people trafficking, while the transnational networks behind it…
A spate of recent operations targeting wildlife trafficking rings in Brazil have highlighted the extent to which such groups have…
In an incredible turn of events, the case file in the murder of Honduras' activist Berta Cáceres was apparently…
Support Our Work
Investigating organized crime is an expensive and often risky enterprise. Reaching primary sources and getting the real story involve extensive fieldwork. Please donate. Every dollar supports our mission.
DONATE NOW