We are pleased to release our latest report: "Mongolia’s Wildlife Trade: An Analysis of International and National Legal Best Practices," now available in both Mongolian and English.
This report marks the third installment in a series dedicated to understanding and addressing Mongolia's wildlife trade. WCS Mongolia partnered with Legal Atlas and the International Conservation Caucus Foundation to explore the legal frameworks surrounding wildlife trade.
The main purpose is to assess the evolution and effectiveness of Mongolia's legal framework in combating illegal wildlife trade. This report builds upon extensive reviews conducted in 2006 and 2019 (see reference below), focusing on policy coherence and its impact on regulating the wildlife trade chain. It also explores legal regulations of online wildlife trade in Mongolia and the connections between wildlife disease and trade.
What did the report find?
Here's a glimpse: Mongolia's legislation demonstrates a commitment to wildlife conservation, with penalties imposed for offenses related to Very Rare and Rare species, as well as hunting within protected areas. Encouragingly Mongolia is a member of almost all treaties identified as either directly or indirectly related to wildlife trade.
However, our analysis revealed some challenges. There are gaps in addressing organized crime's involvement in wildlife trafficking, along with limitations concerning crucial categories such as CITES-listed species and temporarily banned species. Additionally, the report highlights that Mongolia is not just a source country, and its legal environment needs to respond better to transit, illegal imports and re-exports.
Dive into the full report for a deeper understanding of the topics and recommendations explored.
We invite you to read the entire Report:
In Mongolian (2024)
In English (2023)
Key References:
Silent Steppe, the Illegal Wildlife Trade Crisis in Mongolia (2006)
Silent Steppe II, Mongolia’s Wildlife Trade Crisis, Ten Years Later (2019)
We thank the the US Department of State through the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs for funding this work.