Wildlife Trade

The trade in parrots for pets, alligator hide handbags, dried seahorse curios, elephant ivory, and ramin pool cues–just a few examples of the billion dollar international trade in wildlife and plants. Few people realize the scope and impact of this trade that has been responsible for the decline of wild populations of a number of species of animals and plants.

International trade in many species is regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). For more information on CITES, visit our CITES Meetings section.

To search the WCMC-CITES Wildlife Trade Database, visit our Links page.

Please see our articles at the left on specific wildlife trade issues.