Photo Credits: http://www.eastbysoutheast.com/southeast-asias-illicit-wildlife-trade-international-cooperation-necessary-to-find-solution/

Photo Credits: Photo Credits: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2012/03/rhino-wars/stirton-photography#/04-eight-pound-rhino-horn-670.jpg

The illegal Wildlife Trade is a very lucrative industry which promises high financial returns to the traders involved. The rarer the animal, the higher the prices it fetches and thus the greater the demand. “Collectors” are often willing to pay large sums of money just to add a highly endangered species (eg. Komodo Dragons or freshwater turtles) into their collection.

For example, for animals such as Rhinos harbouring on the verge of extinction, a kilogram of rhino horns can easily fetch up to 50000USD, which is almost equivalent to the price of gold in Vietnam. With such promising financial profits, it comes as no surprise that traders are willing to engage in the trade despite the high risks involved. Afterall the old saying has always been true: “high risk, high return”.