Traffic – the wildlife trade monitoring network and the South African National Biodiversity Institute SANBI have been working on two identification keys to help assist customs officials, law enforcement officers, border police and Environmental Management Inspectors (EMI’s) working against the illegal wildlife and plant trade. The following two “IDentifyIT – Species” keys help inspectors identify plant and wildlife parts. They are now preparing to make these keys available to the public – see below.

Cycad ID Tool – provides a practical, easy-to-use identification guide to South African Encephalartos species.

Species ID Tool – assists with the identification of South African TOPS and CITES-listed species, thereby enabling better regulation and monitoring of the local and international trade in these threatened and endangered species.

Authors: Tess Rayner et al.

Android & iOS: Coming Soon. Please check back later.

These key projects were a collaboration between the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) and TRAFFIC, the Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network, a strategic alliance of WWF – World Wide Fund for Nature and IUCN – The World Conservation Union. The project was sponsored by NORAD, SANBI and the Mazda Wildlife Fund.