The species dilemma and its potential impact on enforcing wildlife trade laws

The varied answers to the question What is a species? provoke more than lively debates in academic circles. They pose practical problems for law enforcement. Commercial wildlife trade threatens many primate species and is regulated through such laws and international agreements as the U.S. Endangered Species Act and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Enforcing legislation relies on the ability to identify when violations occur. Species-defining characters may not be preserved in wildlife trade items. For example, pelage patterns and behavioral characters (e.g., vocalizations) are absent from skulls. Accordingly, identifying victims of illegal trade can be difficult, which hinders enforcement. Moreover, identifying new species and splitting of currently recognized species can result in enforcement lags and regulatory loopholes. Although such negative consequences should not hinder scientific advancement, we suggest that they be considered by primate taxonomists and provide recommendations to prevent unintended conservation consequences.