International Trade in Animals and Animal Parts 239 unique in enforcing such a ban Maher and Sollund (2016) suggest this makes the enforcement of CITES for reptile species in Norway more effective The ban is also likely to eliminate many of the harms reptiles would expect to suffer as part of the legal trade However, caution is required as bans are not necessarily effective in all locations and circumstances (see Lemieux and Clarke’s (2009) evaluation of the 1989 CITES ban on ivory) and may have unexpected and unacceptable consequences (Rivalan et al 2007) Bans may inflate the value, and thereby the incentive to kill, certain species (Low 2003, in Sollund 2011, p 445) and increase the domestic trade of these species (Guzman et al 2007; Lemieux and Clark 2009; Moyle 2003) Prosecution and Punishment Effective detection and enforcement deters would-be offenders and benefits animal victims by reducing harm and removing them from the trade However, these efforts are diminished by failures to prosecute or punish offenders Sollund and Maher (2015) argue IWT offenders are unlikely to be deterred as few offences are prosecuted and, if prosecuted, offenders commonly only receive fines and are seldom punished to the law’s full extent Notably, UK penalties are significantly lower for killing or injuring wildlife (AWA 2006—a fine and/or six months custody) than for incorrectly trading or paying duty on wildlife (CEMA—seven years custody and/or an unlimited fine), raising further concerns about sentencing policy and practice and emphasising the limited consideration for animal welfare (see also UK Environmental Audit Committee 2012) The Unofficial Response NGOs are central to the official and unofficial response, particularly with regard to prioritising the interests of the animal victims In the UK, NGOs provide financial support to enforcement agencies, scientific and welfare evidence and advice to government agencies, and facilitate public and political education and awareness (see TRAFFIC, WWF, World Animal Protection [WAP]) More importantly, perhaps, NGOs have provided prevention and intervention strategies aimed to help animal victims In doing so, NGOs prevent the removal of animals from the wild and, where possible, facilitate their return Technology has altered the nature of the IWT trade, removing barriers, facilitating communication and trade between offenders