Greg L. Warchol approaches the illegal wildlife trade from a criminology perspective, an area that is under-represented in the literature. Exploiting the Wilderness: An Analysis of Wildlife Crime is a concise starting point for those looking to develop an understanding of the illegal wildlife trade across multiple species. However, those looking for more in-depth information on a specific trade might be left wanting more from the author. Warchol’s field research, through personal communication with NGO researchers and national park and customs officials, provides insightful information on this lucrative crime and is a welcome addition to the literature regarding the illegal wildlife trade.
As a PhD researcher exploring the markets in the illicit trade of Tanzanian ivory through the Market Reduction Approach (MRA), I read the book with elephant poaching in mind, an area that is heavily covered in the book. I was initially sceptical about the book, having been previously disappointed by the lack of mention of green criminology and crime theories in other such works. However, I was pleasantly surprised, as Warchol went straight to the point, and I found myself sticking my first post-it note in the preface itself. The book covers not just wildlife crime but also its surrounding topics such as laws, the trade chain of certain animals and animal parts, and end users, in both historical and contemporary contexts.
The layout of the book is concise, with well-organized chapters and conclusions that make the book easy to follow structurally. The writing style is straightforward and without technical verbiage, and where such vocabulary is used, it is well explained, enabling those with no background knowledge to easily follow the writing. The author provides the reader with all the basic information regarding illegal wildlife issues, from names of NGOs to international and national organizations and laws, and an extensive reference list for further reading.
Warchol begins with an introduction to the trade, or trade in parts, in rhinos, elephants, big cats, birds, reptiles, and the great apes, before moving on to both national and international laws. He puts forward, for example in the case of elephants, numerical figures of populations in various countries. However, I feel a note of caution should be added for the reader, as these numbers often differ throughout the available literature.
One of the main points of the book that deserves notable credit is the mention of criminology theories such as the routine activity theory, and their explanation in relation to wildlife crime. Although the book does justice to the understanding from a criminology viewpoint and contemporary efforts made in this field, the reader, I feel, could have benefited from a greater emphasis on and explanation of the fairly new field of green criminology. On the other hand, the book provides a well-structured chain of events and modus operandi, from the offender, to the middleman, and finally the end consumer of the illegal wildlife trade. Warchol takes into consideration all the different routes and end uses possible for multiple species, covering every angle of the trade. Consumer markets addressed in the book include Africa, Asia, and the European Union.
What distinguishes this book from other similar volumes is Warchol’s conclusions drawn from his personal research, which expose the reader to information that is not readily available. However, from a scholarly background, the reader is left wanting greater justification of how this information is acquired, through whom, and where, if possible, there is any qualitative or quantitative evidence to support his claims. Such justification is necessitated due to the cautious nature of wildlife crimes; hence, the reader needs to be convinced of the claims. Nevertheless, it is understandable that due to this very same secretive nature of the crimes, this may not be easily achieved.
Of note is the author’s mention of colonial Africa, where he explores how wildlife crime came to be and how the perception of wildlife has evolved historically. This chapter covers the implementation of protected areas, both public and private, removal and prohibited access of local residents, and hunting laws and quotas. This is followed by a discussion of agencies in charge of protecting wildlife, based mainly in Africa and America, and the incorporation of green courts in judicial systems across the map. He concludes with contemporary protective measures intended to mitigate wildlife crime. These are thoroughly explored, allowing the reader to gain a global perspective while at the same time gaining knowledge of new and innovative efforts in species conservation.
The author’s first-hand research and discussions surrounding multiple topics and species of wildlife crime make this an interesting read, while the book’s concise presentation makes it a must read for all new students of wildlife crime.
