Study finds trade in at least 107,356 wild species — Der Spiegel

At least 107,356 species of wild animals, plants and fungi are traded worldwide — more than twice the previous estimates. This was concluded by a research group led by the University of Melbourne, which published its work in the journal Science Advances, Der Spiegel reports.

Previously, including in an analysis by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), international trade was estimated at about 50,000 species. The new study included more than 47,000 animal species, nearly 50,000 plant species, as well as fungi. The actual number may be significantly higher, as many countries lack systematic data on the harvesting and trade of wild species.

A market worth hundreds of billions of dollars

According to the researchers’ calculations, most of this trade is legal and takes place in compliance with standards for species conservation, animal welfare and disease control. Its annual value ranges from $220 billion to $300 billion. Scientists estimate the volume of illegal trade at $28.4 billion to $39.5 billion per year.

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Study leader Alice Hughes noted that trade in wild species is usually associated with the illegal sale of elephants, tigers and pangolins, although its scale is much broader.

Consequences for populations

For species for which relevant data are available, the populations involved in trade are on average 50–60% smaller than populations not involved in trade. The authors also stated that trade directly or indirectly contributed to the global extinction of 294 species.

Another 25 species have become extinct in the wild and survive only under human care, while in 192 cases populations have disappeared completely at the regional level. The researchers called for the creation of a systematic, transparent and internationally coordinated system for recording trade in wild species, including through the use of existing customs and veterinary control procedures.