For centuries, rarity has been synonymous with value. In markets for art, exclusive jewelry and cuisine, it has driven up prices and fed the aura of exclusivity. The same mechanism, described at the end of the 19th C. by economist Thorstein Veblen, also operated in more delicate and complex areas.
When an animal species, or the product derived from it, becomes exceptional, owning it can acquire a, let’s say, symbolic significance that goes beyond the material. There are some endangered species that awaken an interest combining traditional elements with certain concepts related to social prestige and perceptions of luxury. The problem, in this case, is that it is aggravated when the scarcity of items, rather than reducing demand, intensifies it. Scarcity, far from acting as a brake, becomes the stimulus.
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The so-called Veblen effect describes paradoxical behavior: the higher the price of an exclusive item, the more attractive it is to certain consumers. This occurs because the higher price acts as a signal of status. For the environment, this pattern translates into a worrying dynamic when it affects vulnerable species.
In such cases, rarity mingles with the social construction of luxury. The animal or associated product becomes a sign of distinction. And this dynamic responds to cultural, economic, and psychological factors that are not always easy to reverse.
The so-called Veblen effect describes paradoxical behavior: the higher the price of an exclusive item, the more attractive it is for certain consumers.
An example near at hand is offered by elvers, the offspring of the European eel. Their inclusion in traditional cuisine in northern Spain has made them a much sought-after item. The price of diminishing wild populations rises to extraordinary levels around certain seasons like Christmas and scarcity reinforces their status as an exceptional delicacy. Meanwhile, the authorities have established quotas, bans and controls to protect the species, conscious of its fragile conservation state.
Internationally, the pangolin clearly illustrates the same dynamic. Considered to be the world’s most trafficked mammal, its flesh and scales are in demand in some markets for cultural and medicinal purposes. As long as the populations diminish and restrictions get tougher, the price in the illegal market goes up, incentivizing trafficking networks even further. In 2016, CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, granted all pangolin species maximum level of protection, a measure aimed at halting their global commerce.
Something similar happened with the hyacinth macaw, one of the most spectacular birds in South America. Its intense blue color and imposing size has made it a symbol of exoticism par excellence. As a result, its capture by illegal pet traders has reduced numbers drastically. Today there are conservation and breeding-in-captivity programs which seek to guarantee its survival, while controls over international trafficking aims to limit the pressure on remaining wild populations.
When scarcity become prestige, the market often sends opposite signals to what biodiversity needs.
The existence of this effect doesn’t imply that conservation policies are counterproductive. On the contrary, their function consists in establishing limits, generating awareness and offering solid regulatory frameworks. The challenge lies in that legal protection and restricting the offer can increase the symbolic value of the item in certain clandestine markets.
Faced with this reality, current conservation approaches combine various strategies. On the one hand, stronger vigilance and international cooperation seek to dismantle trafficking networks. Bodies like CITES coordinate agreements between countries to control cross-border trade in endangered species. On the other hand, environmental education and awareness campaigns aim to change the cultural behavior associated with the prestige of exotic fauna and consumption of rare items.
Experience shows that demand reduction is a central factor. In the case of pangolin, some international organizations like the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and TRAFFIC, have undertaken information campaigns questioning the medicinal effectiveness attributed to their scales and promoting sustainable alternatives. In the culinary sphere, promotion of alternative products or controlled breeding can relieve pressure on wild populations.
Economic analysis also contributes tools. Some researchers, among whom E.J. Milner-Gulland and Daniel W. S. Challender, have suggested studying illegal markets with the same sophistication as legal ones, to understand better the incentives that sustain them. Identifying consumer profiles, commercial routes and price-fixing mechanisms allow the design of policies more adjusted to reality.
In parallel, in situ conservation programs strengthen ecosystems and local communities. When biodiversity becomes a source of income through eco-tourism and regulated activities, it generates positive incentives for its protection. The above-mentioned hyacinth macaw, for instance, forms part of responsible tourism initiatives in Brazil which link its observation to economic benefits for the local community.
Effective protection combines regulation, education and economic alternatives that reduce the attraction of the illegal trade.
As such, the relationship between luxury and nature reveals how the value of a species is socially constructed. Rarity, in certain contexts, nourishes the desire to own. Understanding this mechanism is key to anticipating its effects and designing appropriate responses.
We live in a world where the debate on biodiversity is increasingly to the fore and, in this context, the conversation about consumption and social status acquires more ethical relevance than ever before. We have arrived at a point where both cultural traditions and market dynamics influence the survival of certain species. Public policies, far from acting in a vacuum, interact with these forces.
Associating status with environmental responsibility, conservation support and sustainable consumption, opens – or should open – new narratives.
Transforming the idea of luxury can become a powerful tool. Associating status with environmental responsibility, conservation support and sustainable consumption, opens – or should open – new narratives.
The rarity of a living species in its habitat, observed and protected, can acquire a higher social value to private ownership.
When extinction become luxury, the economy and ecology create unimagined synergies. Understanding this intersection allows the problem to be tackled with greater rigor and nuance. Animal conservation in the 21st Century needs to incorporate this broad view, in the knowledge that human desire and wildlife protection share the same stage.
Juan Ángel Asensio (Madrid, 1994) is a poet and commentator. Graduate in General and Comparative Literature and Master of Cultural Criticism and Communication from Alcala University, he has published various poetry collections and his work for the media explores relationships between culture, society and thinking. He has also worked for the Ixuxu Ecology Association, living and working in projects focused on the relationship between territory, community and sustainability, an experience that has decisively influenced his outlook. Presently, he is focusing on the great challenges of our time, tackling issues such as sustainable development and new ways of living in the world from a cultural perspective.