Trafficked wildlife is a global crisis impacting at least 4,000 species of plants and animals, including mammals, reptiles, birds, corals, and rare plants.
A shocking case from 2025 involved the seizure of 3.7 tonnes of pangolin scales in Nigeria. These scales were believed to be sourced from more than 1,900 individual pangolins.
While this case was uncovered, many more remain undetected. These crimes aren’t just pushing species toward extinction; they’re also putting people at risk. Hunting, trafficking, and handling wild animals create opportunities for diseases to jump from animals to humans. Wildlife trafficking is therefore not just a conservation crisis, but a serious threat to public health.
In our recent paper published in Conservation Biology, we present a new method for tackling this global crime. It uses a tiny sample of air extracted from a shipping container — and the incredible power of a dog’s nose.
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