Wildlife trafficking ranks among the most lucrative forms of illegal trade in the world, after human, drugs, and weapons trafficking. The lack of adequate resources and tools to address wildlife crime remains a major challenge for the national authorities of Gabon and other Central and West African nations.
In response, the government of Gabon, in collaboration with Born Free USA and the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, developed a guide to aid in the identification of species listed in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and ranging in Gabon. The identification guide provides wildlife law enforcement officers with a visual representation of the animal and plant species that are protected under CITES, information on their forms in trade, details of their conservation status and level of protection, guidance on CITES requirements, practical tips facilitating the control of fraudulent CITES permits, and a list of useful online resources. The hope is that the guide will help prevent illegal wildlife trafficking by helping border guards identify trafficked wildlife and wildlife parts.