#Spain animal sentience full#

Animal geography and animal activist scholars suggest, from both an anthropocentric and a welfarist perspective, it seems that ‘unnecessary’ animal suffering is an unavoidable part of the (il)legal global wildlife trade, whether the wildlife is alive or killed, leading some to demand a total ban on all global trade on animal welfare grounds. In green criminological studies, it is well documented that many ‘legal’ practices can be as harmful, if not more harmful than those criminalised. Criminology scholars have highlighted the injury and suffering inherent in the (il)legal wildlife trades (see amongst others). Henceforth, when referring to both the legal and illegal trades we use the term (il)legal.

The illegal wildlife trade (also known as trafficking)-involving the capture, harvesting and trade of wild animals and plants contrary to national laws is estimated to be one of the largest global black markets. Most of the wildlife trade, which involves the sale or exchange of wild animals and plants, is legal, un- or partially regulated, and plays a fundamental role in our way of life and global economies. This can result in the abandonment and introduction of invasive species, who are often subsequently inhumanely destroyed as pests. For others who survive the trade and go on to live their life as a companion animal or in aquariums, farms, laboratories, and animal entertainment, it is extremely unlikely their behavioural and physiological needs will be met adequately in captive conditions. Those animals who survive the illegal trade and are confiscated by law enforcement agencies, may be required for the duration of court cases or indefinitely to live in inadequate housing facilities, or upon being seized simply killed. It is commonplace for fatalities to occur during transportation, especially in the illegal trade. Wildlife are left in snares and traps to die slowly from exposure, dehydration, and/or starvation, so people can have food, fur, or medicine. Birds have their eyelids sown shut and are then stuffed into tubes to be smuggled across long distances, involving days without food and water.

#Spain animal sentience full#

Snakes are pumped full of water and starved for days before being skinned alive for the legal reptile leather industry. Rhinos keen when they have been illegally shot so their horns can be cut off,their children have their spines cut with a machete or are taken captive. The evidence on how brutal wildlife trade and trafficking can be for the animals involved is extensive. This is despite an increased scientific basis evidencing animals are sentient and can therefore experience both pleasure and pain, which has resulted in legislation protecting some animals from unnecessary suffering. At a time of heightened global awareness of, and concern for the plight of iconic species, there seems to be widespread ignorance or denial of the routine and serious harms experienced by all wildlife in these trades. The wildlife trade-both legal and illegal-exemplifies how animals are exploited for human consumption and use with little discussion of animal welfare (and even less consideration for rights). Taking a multidisciplinary approach our article explores whether and how space can be made for the welfare of wildlife in the ongoing debates on banning or regulating the legal trade and preventing and disrupting wildlife trafficking.

Compassion and respect for the wildlife harmed in these trades, however, is seldom a key focus. Increasingly, in light of evidence on the links between zoonotic diseases (e.g., COVID-19) and biodiversity loss, the overexploitation of wildlife is identified as negatively impacting people living with and near the wildlife and their livelihoods. Billions of wildlife Footnote 1-from the entire range of species-are killed and captured every year as part of the global legal and illegal wildlife trades.