Women and Illegal Trade in Wildlife: A Nigerian Case Study

Wildlife crime has become a topic of international attention and concern over recent years, and women play a variety of roles in this gray economy. Utilizing qualitative investigation to gain insider accounts, this study examines women input in wildlife crime in communities neighboring a forest reserve in Nigeria. Findings show that bush-meat hunting, wood and timber harvesting are the most pervasive illegal trade in wildlife in the study area. While men mostly perform these trades, women play subordinate roles in the midst of several expressions of physical injuries plus psychological and sexual abuse. Findings show that these activities often provide better economic opportunities for poverty-afflicted women as most of them involve in the trade are unemployed and single-mothers trapped in the dilemma of extreme poverty and a resilient commitment to motherhood, wanting to give their children at least, a better life. The study concludes that women are active participants in illegal trade in wildlife and prevention approaches should involve but not limited to public services education and alternative livelihoods for women such as jobs, business start-ups, and sustainable agriculture.