An elephant stands proudly in their natural habitat, surrounded by greenery.

Vanessa Mignon

Stopping the Wildlife Trade

Wild animals are targets for poaching, captive hunting, the fur trade, the exotic pet trade and more. We're stopping the Wildlife Trade to keep animals safe in their natural habitat.

The wildlife trade poses a major threat to wild animals across the globe. The trade puts a price tag on species, leading to unsustainable population declines and causing undue pain and distress to animals killed for their body parts or smuggled long distances for the pet trade. The illegal wildlife trade is now one of the most lucrative illicit markets in the world.

Photo by Trevor Mogg/Alamy Stock Photo/

Preventing a new pandemic

Unless countries worldwide ban the wildlife trade, experts say, it is only a matter of time before another pandemic as bad or even worse than COVID-19 hits us.

Exploited and endangered

Some species are increasingly at risk as they continue to be used and sold, either alive or for their parts. Populations are devastated and the methods used to capture, transport and kill animals can cause tremendous suffering.

Did you know?

10 billion
dollars

exchanges hands in the wild animal trade globally each year, an amount second only to arms and drug smuggling

97%
of seal pups

are killed before they reach three months of age in the Canadian harp seal slaughter each year

5-7,000
tigers

are estimated to live in the United States—but fewer than 400 of them can be found in accredited zoos

Hildegard Williams/Alamy Stock photo

Animals are not trophies

In the U.S. alone, trophy hunters kill more than 100,000 native carnivores every year for their fur. Take action to stop this cruel and unnecessary practice.

Take a look inside the issue

Trophy hunted parts of animals

Humane World for Animals

Killed for their parts.

Wildlife trophies

Wildlife parts sold in the trade include skins, leathers, teeth, bones, trophies, live animals and more.

iStock.com

Birds are often exploited in the commercial enterprises, like the pet trade, and so it is a big win that the U.S. just granted federal protections for birds used in commerce for the first time under the Animal Welfare Act.

Exotic pets

Live animals in the trade may be used as exotic pets, stock for game farms, zoo animals and biomedical research subjects.

Legal versus illegal

The line between legal and illegal wildlife trade is blurred, as poachers and traffickers often try to pass off illegal wildlife products as legal. In addition, consumers may unknowingly break the law by bringing wildlife products across borders without proper permits.

Living rhino suffering with horn removed

Paul Hilton UTTAM SAIKIA/Paul Hilton Photography

To prevent poachers from taking rhino horns, leaving the animals deformed and suffering like this, rhinos are sometimes preemptively dehorned (a pain-free process akin to trimming one’s fingernails).

Medicine and the wildlife trade

Tiger bones and rhino horn are often bought for medicinal purposes, but they have no scientifically proven medicinal value.


 

Photo of a little girl with an elephant at a zoo

Famveld/iStock.com

Fake sanctuaries

Wildlife traders sometimes breed animals in captivity, kill them and sell their parts. These facilities are sometimes disguised as sanctuaries.

Cut up wildlife on scale in Indonesia wet market

Dog Meat Free Indonesia

Crime and wildlife trade

The illegal wildlife trade is linked with organized criminal syndicates involved in arms, drugs and human trafficking.


 

HSI

Targeting endangered species

Endangered species are highly valued in the wildlife trade because of their rarity, leading to overexploitation and black market trade, and pushing these species further toward extinction.

The latest

We're fighting the wildlife trade to keep animals safe in their natural habitat. Learn about some of our latest actions to protect all animals from this cruelty.

Parakeets in cages

In a monumental step forward for birds who are often exploited in the pet trade, exhibitions and breeding, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has just enacted federal protections for birds used in commerce.

Update 12/23/22: President Biden has signed the National Defense Authorization Act into law, which removes the U.S. from the cruel shark fin trade and helps to combat wildlife trafficking.

Forest cobra, inland taipan, bushmaster, rhinoceros viper, African bush viper, Gaboon viper, green mamba, eyelash viper, puff adder and several species of spitting cobra and saw-scaled vipers: These are the types of venomous snakes police in Florida have seized from a black-market ring of traffickers in the past two years, as part of a multistate wildlife law enforcement sting, Operation Viper.

BRUSSELS— Today, the European Parliament approved the revised Environment Crime Directive, strengthening the EU's approach to addressing environmental crime. This decision, endorsing the compromise agreement reached between the Council of the European Union and the European Commission in November 2023, marks a significant step towards better protecting wildlife and habitats.

PETEN, Guatemala—A group of 41 parrots of different species (Amazona autumnalis and Amazona alfibrons), iconic in the Latin American region, were released in the Mayan Biosphere Reserve after they were rescued and confiscated from illegal wildlife trafficking.

A new undercover HSUS investigation reveals a thriving market for giraffe parts across the United States. Giraffes have been facing what experts have dubbed a “silent extinction."

Take action

Join Humane World in our fight against the wildlife trade. 

Sea turtle in the ocean swimming

The No. 1 way you can protect wildlife is by harnessing the power of your pocketbook. When you support animal-friendly services and avoid those that exploit animals, you are making a difference. Be a compassionate traveler and consumer—keep your choices from harming animals.

African white rhino

Say NO to elephant rides, dolphin shows, fur fashion, mouse poisons and traps, animal souvenirs, delicacy meats, cruel circus tricks and sad selfies!

Your gift can do so much for animals in need.

Start saving lives by making a one-time gift today. Or help animals all year long with a monthly contribution.

Jean Chung/For Humane World for Animals