Jamaica Battles a Growing Illegal Wildlife Trade
Jamaica is confronting a critically important and escalating illegal trade in exotic animals, ranking it among the most lucrative illicit activities globally alongside guns, drugs, and human trafficking. the national Environment and Protection Agency (NEPA) is working to combat the issue,but faces considerable challenges in prosecution and enforcement.
NEPA Executive Director Leonard francis acknowledged local demand,stating,”We know that there are several persons in Jamaica who love exotic animals.” This demand fuels a network where animals are sourced illegally and traded, frequently enough brokered on the waters surrounding the island. Conservation biologist Damion White explained the process: “So what normally happens [is that] some of the smaller boats, ranging from a yacht to a small fisherman’s boat, they go over and talk to other illegal traders who catch the animals for them and then they carry them here.” Animals are also brought into Jamaica and then “brazenly advertised on social media,” according to White.
Recent cases highlight the scope of the problem. On June 21, 2022, a couple in St James was discovered with 150 different species of animals in their backyard. The collection included protected species under Jamaica’s Wildlife Protection Act, such as the American crocodile and Jamaican parakeet, as well as endangered birds and reptiles for which the couple lacked the necessary trading licenses. The husband pleaded guilty to breaching the Endangered Species Act and was fined $500,000 per offense or sentenced to 30 days in prison.
In a separate case, on September 18, Honduran nationals Luis-Harlan Haylock and Galindo Derby Reyes Wood, along with Jamaican Alvin Ashby, pleaded guilty to 16 counts of breaching Section 18 of the Endangered Species (Protection, Conservation and Regulation of Trade) Act 2000. They were sentenced to time served – the nearly four months they had spent in custody awaiting trial. This lenient sentence drew criticism from environmental observers, who labelled it a “pat-on-back.” The country’s prosecutorial authority is considering an appeal, but law enforcement sources report that Haylock and Wood have already “disappeared.”
Despite these efforts, NEPA acknowledges limited success. Since 2022, only two prosecutions have been successfully mounted, with another case currently pending. The agency identifies key obstacles to building stronger cases, including a reluctance of witnesses to come forward and difficulties in locating the vessels and equipment used in the illegal trade.
“The major challenges that NEPA faces with prosecuting citizens are locating the animals,finding the persons involved in the trade or finding the location where these activities are taking place,” NEPA explained. To address this, the agency is considering establishing a tip line for environment-related offences and is urging citizens to provide data.
Confiscated animals that are healthy are sometimes housed in controlled environments, such as Hope Zoo, after undergoing necessary testing.
