Social network analysis reveals specialized trade in an Endangered songbird

• Published in: Animal conservation 2020-04, Vol.23 (2), p.132-144
• Main Authors: Sánchez‐Mercado, A., Cardozo‐Urdaneta, A., Moran, L., Ovalle, L., Arvelo, M. Á., Morales‐Campos, J., Coyle, B., Braun, M. J., Rodríguez‐Clark, K. M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: aviculture; Biodiversity; Birds; Corruption; Criminality; Endangered species; Enforcement; Exposure; Hypotheses; illegal wildlife trade; Mutants; Network analysis; overexploitation; pet trade; Phenotypes; Records; Social network analysis; Social networks; Social organization; Songbirds; Spinus cucullatus; threatened species; Trade; Trafficking; unsustainable harvest; Venezuela
• ISSN: 1367-9430; 1469-1795
• DOI: 10.1111/acv.12514

Unsustainable harvest is one of the most important threats to biodiversity, and birds are highly impacted, but avian markets remain poorly understood. When species value and corruption/criminality are high, the “parallel trafficking” hypothesis predicts that illegal animal items will move through networks used for other illicit products. Alternatively, when particular demands, logistical skills or access limits trade, “specialized trafficking” hypotheses predict that few, expert actors will control markets. Here, we use social network analysis of trade in an Endangered songbird, the Red Siskin Spinus cucullatus, originating in Venezuela, to examine the generality of the parallel trafficking hypothesis in a setting where corruption/criminality and species value are high. In spite of these circumstances, of 2575 Red Siskin (RS) records compiled from 2010 to 2017, we found just six reports consistent with parallel trafficking. Instead, we discovered an independent network of 15 actor types, and a trade structure consistent with specialized trafficking. Just two intermediary types (national vendors to intermediaries and to consumers) and one consumer type (national breeders) had the highest exposure to the flow of birds, and the most trade connectivity. Use of wild‐caught over captive‐bred birds was high (67% of records), as was use of natural‐phenotype birds over hybrid or mutant‐phenotype birds (65% of records). Geographically, Spain and Venezuela had the highest exposure to the flow of birds, but Brazil and Colombia had the most direct connections with other countries. The unexpected lack of evidence for parallel trafficking suggests that combined flows of illicit products are not inevitable, even in adverse settings. In a context where law enforcement may not be feasible, our results suggest that it may be possible to reduce unsustainable harvest using breeder connectivity in informational campaigns to stimulate peer‐to‐peer interactions and accelerate behavior change. Unsustainable harvest remains a major and poorly understood threat to many birds. The parallel trafficking hypothesis predicts that when corruption/criminality and item value are high, illegal animal items will move “in parallel” through networks used for other illicit products. Although both conditions are met in the Venezuelan trade in Red Siskins, an Endangered finch, social network analysis of 2575 records from 2010‐2017 revealed specialized trade involving at least 15 actor types, with