Annual Top 10 Report

Trafficked: 10 Species Threatened by the Wildlife Trade

Wildlife and plant trafficking and unsustainable wildlife trade is a multi-billion-dollar industry and a major threat to species in the U.S. and worldwide. Trafficked: 10 Species Threatened by the Wildlife Trade, highlights how legal and illegal commerce in rare plants and wildlife is driving species decline, and in some cases, posing a threat to human health. Several of the species in the report are part of the global pet trade, such as the yellow-headed parrot and the Tokay gecko. Others are sought for food or medicinal properties, including the Scalloped hammerhead shark, pinto abalone and the pangolin – a scaly, armadillo-like creature, thought to be involved in the transmission of the novel coronavirus. Still others are coveted as “collectables,” including the Venus flytrap and the rufous hummingbird. Read the full report below.