Animals, plants, fungi: Study: Trade in wild species much larger than thought
The trade in wild species is worth billions and involves far more than just animals. A new study reveals the enormous scale – and how little is known about the consequences.
The trade of wild animals, plants, and fungi worldwide involves at least 107,356 species, more than double the previously estimated 50,000 species. A study published in Science Advances by the University of Melbourne found that this number could be even higher due to a lack of systematic data in many countries. The study reports that the legal trade is valued at $220-300 billion annually, while the illegal trade is estimated at $28.4-39.5 billion.
The unsustainable harvesting of these species has led to the extinction of 294 species and the decline of many more, with traded populations having 50-60% smaller populations than non-traded ones.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's report — not a translation of it. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
