Impact of zoonotic disease outbreaks on international wildlife trade dynamics in Ghana

Abstract

Wildlife is under intense pressure from trade, which most likely contributes to zoonotic diseases. The study explores the impact of zoonotic disease outbreaks on the wildlife trade of Ghana. This study provides an in-depth analysis of the trends of taxa trade and factors that influence trade from 1975-2018 by combining zoonotic disease data with data from the CITES database. Trade flow showed that reptiles were the most traded group, followed by birds, mammals, and amphibians. Species of the families Pythonidae, Dendrobatidae, Cercopithecidae, and Psittacidae were the most traded. The decade mean number of trade for 1997-2007 was the highest (n = 62) followed by 2008-2018 (n = 54.4). Most exporter countries that traded with Ghana are from Africa and importers from the United States of America, Europe and Asia. Continuous trade in reptiles and birds, especially the endangered pythons and psittacus species, could lead to their extinction in the wild. The outbreak of zoonotic diseases influenced the dynamics of the wildlife trade in Ghana as traders shifted their activities among taxa over a period of time. Because those taxa were observed to harbour zoonotic diseases and constitute high health risks when traded. Mammals trade flow decreased with disease outbreaks over time, while reptiles increased. Early detection of zoonotic diseases and the adoption of an expanded education module on avoiding species capable of harbouring pathogens will most likely help reduce trade in wildlife.