Overexploitation is a major contributor to biodiversity loss. One of the biggest culprits of overexploitation is the black market trade of animals and plants, which is now a multibillion-dollar industry. Although many regulations and treaties are in place to control the trade, most poachers and buyers know there is little chance of being caught. Additionally, many people who are buying exotics in pet stores do not know the provenance of the animals for sale and do not realize they are purchasing illegally obtained animals. The reality of the problem is that as long as there is demand for the animals and plants, the black market trade will continue to flourish.
Choose a species that is commonly traded on the black market. Give a few facts about the species (where it lives, its niche, etc.) and state what its status is (endangered, threatened, or doing well). Why is the species being exploited? Attach or insert a picture of the species. Each student’s species must be different from everyone else’s in the class.
Be sure to include full citations for any resources you used to obtain your facts or formulate your opinion for your entries.
Review the resources provided in the Reading and Resources area of this module to help support your research for this assignment.
To complete this assignment, review the Discussion Rubric PDF document.
Use Scholarly Sources only
