Simply put, wildlife trade is the sale or exchange by people of wild animal and plant resources. While much of this trade is legal, a significant portion of it is not. Over the years illegal wildlife trade has emerged as a form of organised transnational crime that threatens the existence of many wild species across the globe. In India trade in over 1800 species of wild animals, plants and their d
erivatives are prohibited under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. International trade is further regulated under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to which India has been a member since 1976. TRAFFIC has an enviable reputation as a reliable and impartial organization, a leader in the field of conservation as it relates to wildlife trade. TRAFFIC was established in 1976 and has developed into a global network, research-driven and action-oriented, committed to delivering innovative and practical conservation solutions based on the latest information. TRAFFIC came to India in 1991, operating as a division of WWF-India. It has since worked closely with the National and the State Governments and various agencies to help study, monitor and influence action to curb illegal wildlife trade. After a brief hiatus in 2002, it resumed work once again in December 2006. TRAFFIC is governed by the TRAFFIC Committee, a steering group composed of members of TRAFFIC's partner organizations, WWF and IUCN. A central aim of TRAFFIC's activities is to contribute to the wildlife trade-related priorities of these partners. TRAFFIC also works in close co-operation with the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Vision: TRAFFIC's Vision is of a world in which trade in wild plants and animals is managed at sustainable levels without damaging the integrity of ecological systems and in such a manner that it makes a significant contribution to human needs, supports local and national economies and helps to motivate commitments to the conservation of wild species and their habitats. (Disclaimer: Links to external news items are provided for information only and are not intended to represent TRAFFIC's/WWF's policies, positions, opinions or views on the issues raised in the items.)
