Humanity trades at least 107,356 wild animal, plant, and fungal species globally, according to a study published in the journal Science Advances. That total is more than double previous estimates, revealing a massive scale of commercial exploitation that risks accelerating global biodiversity loss.
The Scope of Global Wildlife Commerce
- Researchers at the University of Melbourne found that the legal wildlife trade generates between 220 and 300 billion US-Dollar annually.
- The illegal wildlife trade accounts for an estimated 28,4 to 39,5 billion Dollar each year.
- Populations of harvested species are on average 50 to 60 percent smaller than unharvested populations where data is available.
Expanding the Scope Beyond Iconic Species
Previous estimates, including an analysis by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), had assumed around 50,000 internationally traded species.
Tropics wood, medicinal plants, ornamental fish, and morel mushrooms form just a fraction of this vast commercial network. “Wenn wir an den Handel mit wildlebenden Arten denken, denken wir meist an den illegalen Handel mit Elefanten, Tigern und Schuppentieren. Aber es geht um sehr viel mehr,” study leader Alice Hughes stated in a press release.
The research differentiates between legal commerce and illicit networks. While the bulk of the trade operates within legal frameworks, generating 220 to 300 billion US-Dollar, the illegal trade accounts for an estimated 28,4 to 39,5 billion Dollar. Beyond the financial figures, the analysis links the commercial harvest directly or indirectly to the global extinction of 294 species. Another 25 species have vanished in the wild and survive solely in human care, while 192 populations have disappeared entirely at a regional level.
Data Deficits and Regional Blind Spots
| Metric | Previous Estimates | University of Melbourne Study |
|---|---|---|
| Total Traded Species | ~50,000 | 107,356+ |
| Annual Legal Market Value | Not specified | 220 to 300 billion US-Dollar |
| Annual Illegal Market Value | Not specified | 28,4 to 39,5 billion Dollar |
| Extinctions Linked to Trade | Not specified | 294 species |
Assessing the true volume of global wildlife commerce remains difficult. While the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) tracks the international trade in endangered species, and other databases monitor specific sectors like fisheries or timber, comprehensive national tracking is rare. The United States maintains the Lemis information system, which has recorded the trade of more than 21,000 wild animal species since 2000. According to the study, 25 percent of all recorded traded bird species appeared exclusively in the US database, a figure that reaches 54 percent for mammals. Europe could have a similar or larger trade volume, but this cannot be verified due to a lack of accessible data.
“Das Problem ist, dass wir es schlicht nicht wissen: Die Daten sind nicht öffentlich zugänglich und entsprechen möglicherweise nicht den Standards, die nötig wären, um das tatsächliche Ausmaß des Handels zu erfassen,” Hughes noted regarding international transparency gaps.
Calls for Harmonized Customs Tracking
The study’s authors urge a more systematic and internationally coordinated record. Existing customs and veterinary control procedures could be used to document trade data more comprehensively.
Hughes emphasized that halting biodiversity loss requires more comprehensive, transparent, and globally coordinated documentation of the trade in wild species.
