Conflict and the Illegal Wildlife Trade in Africa

Panelists 

• Jasper Humphreys, Director of Programmes, The Marjan Study Group 
• Richard Milburn, Director of Research, The Marjan Study Group 

 

17:30 - 17:55 An overview of the key economic drivers of the illegal wildlife trade, with particular focus on the ‘poachers’ equation’ to assess why poaching happens and how to stop it, with a case study of eastern DRC focused on the Kahuzi-Biega National Park and Virunga National Park. - Dr Richard Milburn

17:55 - 18:20 South Africa’s ‘Rhino Wars’ have generated a lot of interest and ideas about how to halt rhino poaching in the country; however, the background is extremely complex and gets to the very heart of what ‘security’ means if a country cannot protect its vital resources. -Jasper Humphreys

18:20 - 18:45 Q&A

 

The connection between conflict and biodiversity has been one of the least explored areas of conflict studies; that has been changing over the last decade at the same time as reports into the dire decline of biodiversity. While biodiversity is both impacted by conflict and can be the cause of conflict (resource wars) the actual connection-points that create cause and effect are still being debated.

These talks by members of The Marjan Conflict, Biodiversity and Military Sustainability Study Group, will look at these connection-points by highlighting the illegal wildlife trade in Africa through political and social dynamics using case-studies based on first-hand field research. As much biodiversity heads either for massive population decline or extinction, understanding the complexities of the illegal wildlife trade is crucial.

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