Wildlife Law and Policy Loopholes and Canadian Species of Concern: Practitioners’ Perspectives

Abstract Iconic Canadian species are sometimes killed for “trophies,” for subsistence, or for the illicit market. Certain species may be under greater threat than sustainable regulation quotas imply, due to law and policy loopholes. There are two main questions relevant to Canadians that this article seeks to address: (1) What policy challenges do Canadian practitioners face in regards to CITES implementation and other Canadian wildlife legislations? (2) Which species are of most concern for poaching and trafficking in Canada according to practitioners, and does this align with international trade trends? In-depth interviews were conducted with eight Canadian wildlife officials (wildlife enforcement agency representatives with extensive experience working on wildlife criminal cases) to seek their perspectives. The findings suggest Canada operates under a conservation model of sustainable use and open trade, yet is lacking in implementation of certain policies and in certain areas such as the Canadian Arctic. There is no consensus among practitioners, some of whom work within the same agency, on which Canadian species are currently most at risk or of special concern for poaching and the illicit trade. These findings suggest there are gaps in law and policy in Canada in regards to in-demand species, and implementation needs to be harmonized across provinces and agencies to better protect wildlife. CITES listings of Canadian species may need to be reviewed in light of some of these identified problems (particularly with the bear gall bladder trade and polar bear harvesting). Identified species of concern were only somewhat aligned with available international export data.