For decades nations have worked to curb international sales of endangered plants and animals. But in countries like China, with high demand and speculative investors, that strategy fuels bidding wars.
The first online rhino auction in South Africa wasn’t a success. This has done very little to help rhinos. It may, in fact, encourage more poaching as demand has not slowed down.
Matthew Flinders Professor of Global Ecology and Models Theme Leader for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Flinders University