There is no single solution to monitoring illegal wildlife trade (L. F. Toledo et al. Nature 483, 36; 2012), which is widespread, adaptive and sophisticated. Extensive reforms are needed to expand government monitoring and reporting, and to include a wider range of detection strategies and non-government stakeholders (J. Phelps et al. Science 330, 1752–1753; 2010).

Government agencies are largely limited to regulating wildlife trade through monitoring and enforcement, mainly confined to checkpoints such as airports. More resourceful research strategies are crucial for keeping up with wildlife trading (see, for example, M. Gastañaga et al. Bird Conserv. Int. 21, 76–85; 2011).

Improving regulation will require broadening collaborations, for example through resource monitoring by local communities, engaging the private sector in point-of-harvest reporting, and forming partnerships with non-governmental organizations and academics. Local networks and expertise would encourage pooling of resources and give governments access to new techniques and methodological support.

Such cooperation would help to resolve taxonomic uncertainties and offer independent review of contentious trade decisions. This is especially relevant to countries where the technical and administrative authorities of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species lie within the same government institution.