Spatial analysis of wild bird trafficking in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil

Abstract

Wild animal trafficking is a growing practice worldwide and a complex problem that brings a lot of profit, moving billions of dollars. This illegal trade has Brazil as route due to its rich biodiversity. It is widespread throughout the state of Pernambuco, having constant growth because the state is in a geographical position that favors this type of illegal practice and has a great diversity of species. Thus, the objective of the study was to perform a spatial analysis of wild bird trafficking in the municipalities of the state of Pernambuco in the period from 2016 to 2021, through an exploratory data analysis with seven variables that could explain its occurrence. It was used as methodology the global and local Moran’s indexes, all implemented in the Geographic Information System software. The findings revealed that the municipalities that showed high average rates of wild bird trafficking in the investigated period, in general, are geographically close to those that also showed high rates of seizure of birds, Intentional Lethal Violent Crime, Violent Crime against Property, and unemployment. In general, the results allowed us to conclude that the methods of spatial cluster analysis proved satisfactory for the analysis in question. Moreover, it is important to note that the precarious enforcement favors the continuity of this practice, and there is an urgent need for environmental policies to restrain it effectively.