Gaps in CITES policy undermine conservation of threatened species by providing loopholes for illegal trade

Rosewood, highly prized for its unique properties and coloration, is obtained from genera in several families, including Fabaceae (in particular Dalbergia ), Meliaceae, and Proteaceae, and ebony comes primarily from species of Diospyros and Euclea (Ebenaceae); the taxonomy of most of these remains inadequate (Waeber et al. 2019 ). The precious timber trade prioritizes the quality of the wood over individual species, whose rarity and beauty make the wood highly sought after in the international wildlife and tim- ber market, largely involving trade from African and Asian coun- tries that generates more revenue than from elephant, rhino, and big cats combined (figure 1 ). Globally, illegal commerce in plants, animals, and their parts generates US$71 billion–171 billion annu- ally, making it almost as lucrative as trafficking drugs, arms, and people, and usually involves the same criminal syndicates (Anag- nostou and Doberstein 2022 ).