Vital habitats put in peril by drug trade

Cocaine traffcking poses a substantial threat to several bird species and their forest home

James Fair

COCAINE, AS IS WIDELY understood, isn’t very good for people. It’s an addictive drug, bad for your health, illegal and expensive. And it’s not great for human society, either. However, the impact of cocaine trafficking on the environment is only occasionally considered. Now, scientists in the USA have looked at how enforcement policies impact the way cocaine traffickers operate, and the effects this has on those areas of Central America that provide habitat for forest-living birds. The scientists found that, following cocaine seizures and other antinarcotics operations, the five most important forest areas within Central America became much more suitable for trafficking activity. Cocaine smuggling can lead to deforestation for a number of reasons, the study in Nature Sustainability reveals. There can be illegal construction of roads and landing strips…

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Bbc Wildlife (Digital) - 1 Issue, August 2024

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