The illegal trade

Illegal trade in Traditional Chinese Medicines is one of the biggest threats faced by endangered species all over the world. Like any other trade it works on the basis of supply and demand and very often the consumer demand for products made from endangered species comes from wealthy countries like the UK. Therefore, as long as consumers here continue to buy, poachers in other countries will kill wildlife and the criminals will make money.

Because endangered species are rare, the supply is limited, so they command the highest prices and provide the biggest profits for the criminals, increasing the risk to the animals themselves. This cycle will continue for as long as we continue to buy, but in London we can help to stop the trade by simply not buying any products made from endangered species.