Published February 10, 2026 | Version v2
Dataset Restricted

Data and Code for "The cat's out of the bag: examining US wildlife trade of felids from 2000 – 2020"

Authors/Creators

Description

This repository contains all code and input data files used in the analysis for the manuscript The Cat’s Out of the Bag: Examining US Wildlife Trade of Felids from 2000–2020. The study utilizes LEMIS (Law Enforcement Management Information System) data from 2000 to 2020 (excluding 2015) to assess patterns in the legal and illegal trade of felid species in the United States.

This dataset and code are provided to ensure transparency and reproducibility of our findings. Researchers, conservation practitioners, and policymakers can use this data to further investigate wildlife trade trends and inform conservation strategies.

Table of contents

README: Data and Code for "The Cat’s Out of the Bag: Examining US Wildlife Trade of Felids from 2000–2020"

Overview

This repository contains all code and input files necessary to reproduce the analyses, figures, and tables presented in the manuscript. Below is a guide to navigating the files.

Code Files

  1. Data_curation_LEMIS.R – This script processes and curates the raw LEMIS data. Running it will generate all input files used in the study.
  2. Statistical_Analyses_LEMIS.R – Contains all statistical analyses performed in the manuscript.
  3. Figures_Tables_LEMIS.R – Includes code to generate all figures and tables.

Data Files

Raw Data

  • ZIP File: Contains the original LEMIS data downloaded from the Center for Biological Diversity, covering 2016–2020, along with a USFWS-provided key for dataset acronyms.
  • 2000–2014 Data: lemis_2000_2014_cleaned.csv which was compiled using the LEMIS R package published in Eskew et al. (2020)

Processed Input Files

  • cats_imports_2000_2020.csv – Used for all analyses related to entries and shipments.
  • cats_imports_2000_2020_hybrid_info_no_outliers.csv – Used for analyses related to quantities and live felid trade.

Mapping Files

  • input_ports.csv – Used for mapping incoming felid trade at US ports.
  • input_shipping_routes_over10.csv – Used for generating maps of live felid trade routes.

Files

Restricted

The record is publicly accessible, but files are restricted to users with access.