Twice as many plants and animals sold in wildlife trade as previously thought, says report

Why This Matters

Key context: <p>More than 100,000 species are traded globally, whether illegally smuggled, sold as ornaments or in fisheries, timber and fashion industries, study finds</p><p>The number of plant and animal species in use or sold in the wildlife trade is more than twice as high as previously thought, researchers have discovered.</p><p>A study, <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aei3504">published in Science Advances</a>, warns that there are huge gaps in global assessments of how wildlife is traded, and that past estimates have failed to keep up with changes such as the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/dec/09/inside-the-illegal-wildlife-trade-booming-on-social-media-aoe">boom in the online exotic pet trade</a>, where sellers offering to post spider eggs across the world or sneak reptiles on to planes are just a click away.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/oct/30/twice-as-many-plants-and-animals-sold-in-wildlife-trade-as-previously-thought-says-report">Continue reading...</a> This development from The Guardian highlights ongoing changes in the sector.