Laundered alive? The transnational trade in wild felids through Bangladesh

Wildlife trade represents a major threat to global biodiversity. Yet preventing species losses from unsustainable trade requires detailed knowledge of patterns and processes of trade to enable targeted interventions. Bangladesh represents a possible lynchpin in global trade for certain groups, yet its role has largely been overlooked until present. We document the trade of twelve live felid species in trade based on interviews with actors involved in this trade, published newspaper reports of seizure incidents, and CITES export and import records for specific shipments of live felids from 2016 to 2021. Of the 12 identified wild felid species in trade, one was classed as Endangered by the IUCN, four were Vulnerable, and three were Near Threatened. South Africa and India, were the main source countries for live felids at 51% and 27% of items respectively, whilst India and Myanmar dominated exports at 20% and 15% respectively. International trade of live felids involved nine land ports, one airport, and one seaport. Our study also suggests that increased live felid import to Bangladesh may be partially for exotic pets. However, it should be noted that major discrepancies in the CITES data preclude the straightforward interpretation of trade patterns, and more work is needed to ensure CITES can effectively monitor and regulate wildlife trade in Bangladesh. We recommend further research to verify the scale and severity of trade, and identify opportunity structures that allow actors to use Bangladesh to launder felids and facilitate global trade, and enable targeted interventions to prevent further illegal trade.