Changing Behavior to Reduce Wildlife Trade in China

IFAW is executing a behavior change communications campaign in China to reduce wildlife trade—both supply and demand—by influencing government policy through enhanced enforcement and changed regulations making marketplaces... [ view full abstract ]

IFAW is executing a behavior change communications campaign in China to reduce wildlife trade—both supply and demand—by influencing government policy through enhanced enforcement and changed regulations making marketplaces unavailable for wildlife trade; raising public awareness to erase consumer ignorance; and mobilizing society to stigmatize the consumption of ivory and other wildlife parts and products. To reduce ivory demand, IFAW conducts public awareness campaigns to erase the ignorance in consumers’ minds about the origin of ivory. Evaluation shows that IFAW ad campaign penetrated 75% of urban China and reduced the consumer group with the most propensity to purchase ivory from 54% to 26%. To reduce the supply of wildlife parts on the market places, IFAW works with government agencies and the private sector to make wildlife parts and products unavailable and inaccessible in certain market segments. Banning the trade of wildlife parts and products online and in auction markets resulted in a significant reduction of wildlife trade. Recent research demonstrates positive correlation between the government ban of elephant ivory in auctions with the reduction in elephant poaching. Strong laws making ivory trade illegal in all circumstances combined with vigorous enforcement and meaningful penalties for violators help stigmatize ivory consumption, thus supporting demand reduction efforts. To create a social epidemic stigmatizing wildlife consumption, Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) from all sectors of society joined the campaign influencing their peers, families, friends and fans. Combining public outreach, policy advocacy with society mobilization, IFAW’s campaign is changing behavior in China to for wildlife conservation.