UTTAR PRADESH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY

Wildlife trafficking and poaching have emerged as priority issues globally, and India is one of the world's hot spots for these crimes owing to its rich biodiversity. Rising demand for keeping wildlife products as pets, and using them as drugs, and luxury commodities has pushed wildlife crime to record levels. This heightened demand finds support from socio-economic realities such as illiteracy, poverty, and unemployment, driving native communities into a situation of exploiting and selling through poaching activities as a survival strategy. A well-structured legal framework in India exists that is enforceable, yet with weak implementation coupled with corruption, allowing illegal trade to take firm ground. The current study aims to evaluate the current scenario of illegal wildlife trafficking in India with a definite focus on the socio-economic forces driving this phenomenon. It attempts to investigate the problems in preventing wildlife trade and determine the market complexities that underlie such illicit trade. The research employs an extensive literature review method, combining secondary data in the form of books, research articles, and reports to analyse the market forces, socio-economic drivers, and regulatory issues of the Indian wildlife trade. The study concludes that the illegal wildlife trade in India is being driven by demand for wildlife products and socio-economic drivers like poverty and illiteracy. The study recommends combat against illicit wildlife trade by adopting a multidimensional approach of an intensified structured framework, community engagement, and global coordination. Socio-economic factors need to be addressed through alternative livelihood and rural population education to reduce their reliance on poaching. Government, NGOs, civil society and businesses need to come together and make conservation work and ensure biodiversity in the long term.