Project Grant F24AP02412

This $353,015 federal Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service under the Combating Wildlife Trafficking program (CFDA 15.679) supports a research initiative by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) to address the threat of unsustainable trade in wild-caught songbirds from the Guiana Shield region. The key objectives are to: 1) map the species, actors, and trade dynamics supplying the bird racing industry in New York, 2) identify behavioral drivers of demand for illegally sourced songbirds within Guyanese diaspora communities, and 3) co-design and evaluate interventions to reduce unsustainable songbird trade. The project will collect in-depth data on songbird keeping, racing, and online sales, and develop evidence-based strategies to influence consumer behavior and mitigate biodiversity loss from this illegal wildlife trade. The grant period runs from June 2024 to June 2028.