World Wildlife Fund

The population of African elephant has undergone dramatic decline as a result of poaching for the ivory trade. The U.S. Endangered Species Act lists the African elephant as ‘threatened’ and banned imports of African elephant ivory in 1989.
© WWF-Canon / Martin HARVEY

Wildlife trade refers to the sale and exchange of wild animals and plants, and products made from them. Live animals are sold as food and pets, while ornamental plants and timber and an array of wildlife products, such as exotic leather goods, musical instruments and even medicines can be found in markets around the globe.

The global trade in wildlife is a multi-billion dollar business annually that has illegal and unsustainable elements that are driving species to the brink of extinction. The illegal trade is often a well organized crime that creates black markets and smuggling syndicates to move and trade the world’s rarest animals and plants.

• Trade in wild plants and animals is big business, worth billions of dollars and involving hundreds of millions of plants and animals every year
• The trade is diverse – from live animals and ornamental plants to a vast array of wildlife products such as elephant ivory, tiger skins, mahogany, tuna and ginseng
• People around the world depend on wildlife harvest and trade for food, medicine and shelter to support their livelihoods
• Much of this trade is legal and regulated, but a significant portion is unmanaged, unreported and/or illegal

TRAFFIC is the wildlife trade monitoring network of WWF and works to counter illegal trade and ensure sustainability of legal trade through methods ranging from undercover field investigations to providing high level policy engagement with governments. 

TRAFFIC North America works through its offices in the United States, Canada and Mexico, as well as the 25 TRAFFIC Network offices internationally.

Learn about what WWF is doing to address these challenges