Overexploitation of the world's wildlife has left many species in peril. Despite decades of work by conservationists, species continue to be driven towards extinction by illegal wildlife trade. Efforts to combat illegal trade have focused primarily on large charismatic species, but many other species face similar threats and uncertain futures. Reptiles are one of the most traded wildlife taxa. Of particular concern is the scale of the tortoise and freshwater turtle (TFT) trade. TFTs are slow to reproduce, rendering them vulnerable to even low levels of exploitation. In Canada, the commercial import of live TFTs is restricted, yet smuggling and illegal trade, particularly for the pet market, is a concern. Using a Conservation Criminology approach, this dissertation looks at compliance and non-compliance in the Canadian TFT pet trade by examining the characteristics of the domestic supply chain, perceptions of formal and informal sanction threats, perceptions of conservation and animal welfare, and the role of neutralizations. Data was collected from federal-level wildlife enforcement records and in-depth semi-structured interviews with TFT breeders, wholesalers, and retailers in Canada. Results point to the complex nature of the TFT supply chain, which has multiple paths through which illegally sourced animals can enter the legitimate trade. Heterogeneity in perceptions of the certainty and severity of formal sanctions threats raised questions about how perceptions change based on one's position in the supply chain. Informal sanctions for many were salient, but so too was a willingness to turn a blind eye to illegal trade. Almost all participants were concerned about conservation and animal welfare, yet some used neutralization techniques when describing their acquisition of animals that were likely illegally sourced. These results highlight the importance of considering multiple theories for understanding compliance and non-compliance and lay the foundation for future research on illegal wildlife trade that will inform both theory and practice.
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