Nearly 3 billion plants and animals have been imported into the US over the past two decades, most of which were taken from the wild.
鈥淭he numbers are absolutely massive,鈥� says at the University of Hong Kong. She says that estimate still probably falls short, as it only includes legal exchanges, and there is no comprehensive way to track the total trade of wildlife around the world. 鈥淲e are just scratching the surface,鈥� she says.
Hughes and her colleagues pored over data collected between 2000 and 2022 from the US Law Enforcement Management Information System (LEMIS), which compiles national trade data, and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which tracks international legal trade for certain wildlife species.
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They found that during that time, the US imported almost 30,000 different species of plants and animals 鈥� including more than 11,200 species of terrestrial vertebrates, 6600 invertebrates, 2800 marine vertebrates and 280 plants. The imports totalled more than 2.85 billion individuals, making the US one of the world鈥檚 largest importers of wildlife in terms of variety and overall numbers.
鈥淭his really highlights the magnitude of the issue,鈥� says at the University of Oulu in Finland.
Around 90 per cent of mammals and birds imported to the US were taken from the wild, as were more than half of the individuals across most other animal groups, such as reptiles and fish. Arachnids, fish and insects had the greatest number of individuals brought into the country. Over three-quarters of the trades were for commercial purposes such as ornamental use, pet trade or fashion.
The wildlife trade facilitates the introduction of invasive species, as well as pests and pathogens. Because animals can die during capture, in facilities and on the trade route, the impact on wild populations may be even greater than what the numbers suggest. 鈥淔or every [animal] that is successfully imported, you don鈥檛 know how many died on the way,鈥� says Hughes.
Without more exhaustive data on the animals being traded legally and illegally, it is challenging for conservationists to protect them from entering the market. In some instances, when a species is identified, it is already being decimated in the wild before it can be listed for protection.
鈥淭his is eye-opening for many of us,鈥� says at University of Queensland in Australia.
PNAS
