While ecotourism provides clear, direct economic benefits to countries, those benefits are often underestimated, since the numerous inputs required to support the ecotourism industry are difficult to quantify. For example, items such as food, supplies, transportation, public works, infrastructure, and manpower are required to support ecotourism. Additionally, local citizens employed… read more
U.S. Policy
Where did this link between security and wildlife trafficking come from?
The scale and scope of poaching has escalated in recent years. Increasingly, observers are linking poaching to national security interests. Is this link real? Is there a good case to be made for the inclusion of wildlife trafficking in security issues? This blog post explores the evolution of the USG’s… read more
Infrastructure and Guns May Curb Wildlife Trafficking
As I discussed in my previous blog post, the US attempts to curb wildlife tracking through foreign assistance. Specifically, FWS provides $10 million annually to enhance and support wildlife conservation throughout Africa and Asia. The funds support essential wildlife protection activities in 25 African countries, including improving capacity to carry… read more
US Foreign Assistance and Ecotourism
The United States supports wildlife conservation and the development of ecotourism in foreign countries primarily through monetary aid. Unfortunately, data that dis-aggregates ecotourism revenue from tourism revenue is not routinely collected. Thus, analysts encounter difficulty when attempting to quantify US monetary support of the ecotourism industry. Nonetheless, ecotourism is a… read more
The Phragmipedium Kovachii: Is CITES guilty of over criminalization?
While reports indicate that many species of rare plants, including multiple varieties of orchids, are nearing the brink of extinction, the debate over what to do to protect them rages on. A combination of rampant poaching, greed, and habitat destruction are blamed for their destruction, and strong feelings swirl around… read more
Does the U.S. have a role in curbing wildlife loss in the Congo Basin?
The Congo Basin The Congo Basin is shared by 6 African countries and, according to the World Wildlife Fund, is home to 400 species of mammals, 1,000 species of birds and 700 species of fish, including at-risk species like gorilla, elephants, bonobos and chimpanzees. It is also home to 75… read more
