More than 107,000 species of plants, animals and fungi are traded, twice as many as thought: University of Melbourne study of the global wildlife trade, including pets

What the researchers found

On 30 October 2026 a study led by the University of Melbourne (Australia) was published in the journal Science Advances. It's the first comprehensive estimate of how many species of plants, animals and fungi are used and traded around the world.

Around 50,000 species were previously thought to be in global trade. The new analysis, which brought together data from various wildlife trade monitoring programmes, found at least double that: 107,356 species. And the authors don't believe this is the limit: because of gaps in the data, the true scale could be larger.

Not just elephants and pangolins

When we think of wildlife trade we tend to think about the illegal trade of elephants, tigers and pangolins. But it's much more than that. Wildlife trade includes everything from timber, seafood and medicinal plants to pets, cut flowers, ornamental fish and fungi, and most of it is legal.

Alice Hughes, Professor at the University of Melbourne's School of BioSciences

According to Hughes, legal trade is worth about ten times more than illegal trade, and at least twice as many species are in trade as previously recognised.

The main problem: no data

For most species there's little to no information on volumes or origins, let alone population data that could show whether trade threatens a species' survival. "Without better data, we cannot accurately assess risks to biodiversity or identify when trade is pushing species towards decline," Hughes says.

The US is the exception

According to the authors, the United States is the only country that systematically records and publicly shares trade data across a wide range of groups of organisms. For much of the rest of the world, such data simply doesn't exist. For some groups, 75% of traded species appear in US datasets. Yet in regions such as Europe, trade may be comparable or even higher, but as Hughes says, "we really don't know", because the data isn't openly available or may not use sufficient standards.

Biodiversity targets barely touch trade

The global biodiversity framework includes a target on trade. But by the authors' estimate it covers only around two or three per cent of species in trade and misses the other 97%. The researchers propose standardising the collection of trade data. If countries repurposed existing customs and zoosanitary processes, Hughes says, a robust monitoring system could be built, but this would take a great deal of work.

Where pets come in

A large part of the wildlife trade involves animals for the home: birds, reptiles, amphibians, aquarium fish, small mammals and invertebrates. Many are bred in captivity, but some are still caught in the wild. The difference isn't always visible to the buyer, but the consequences can be serious:

• wild populations can shrink because of capture;
• wild-caught animals cope less well with transport and captivity and often fall ill;
• diseases travel with animals, from parasites to infections dangerous to local wildlife and sometimes to people;
• released pets become invasive species.

Vets and exotic animals

Vets who treat exotic animals often see the results of unsuitable conditions: bone disease in reptiles kept without UV light, nutritional problems in birds, and stress and infections in recently caught animals. Many exotic pets live for decades, such as tortoises and large parrots, and need complex care that new owners don't expect.

Diseases that travel with animals

The wildlife trade doesn't just threaten species, it also spreads disease. The best-known example in Europe is the fungus Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans, which is dangerous to salamanders and newts. It's linked to the trade in amphibians from Asia and has already wiped out local populations of fire salamanders in some European countries. In 2018 the EU introduced special measures for the salamander trade: checks and quarantine before import.

Exotic animals can also bring infections into the home that are dangerous to people:

• salmonella is often carried by reptiles and amphibians, even those that look healthy;
• psittacosis (parrot fever) is a bacterial infection that people can catch from parrots and other birds;
• parasites and fungi range from mites to skin infections.

So wash your hands after contact with exotic animals, vivariums and aquariums. Young children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems should take particular care around reptiles.

Why customs and veterinary data matter

Professor Hughes suggests using what already exists: customs declarations and veterinary and sanitary checks on imported animals and plants. Today this data is often recorded incompletely, without naming the species or in formats that can't be compared. If countries collected it to common standards and made it available, scientists could see which species are sold in large numbers and spot risks to nature and health in time.

How trade is controlled in the EU

The EU applies the international CITES convention through its own wildlife trade rules, which are stricter in many respects. Species are divided into four annexes, A to D: the most protected need import and export permits and commercial trade in them is almost banned, while others need documents or at least an import notification. Customs and veterinary border control posts check consignments of animals, and EU countries share data on breaches. Since Brexit, Great Britain has had its own version of these rules. But all this mostly applies to species on the CITES lists, and as the new study shows, they're only a small part of what's traded.

Aquarium fish and corals

Fishkeeping is one of the most widespread forms of trade in live animals. Most freshwater aquarium fish are now farmed, but marine fish and invertebrates for reef aquariums are still largely caught in the wild, above all on the coral reefs of South-East Asia. Capture, long journeys and changing conditions lead to heavy losses on the way. If you're setting up a marine aquarium, ask the shop whether the fish are captive-bred: clownfish, some gobies and a number of corals are already bred successfully.

Holiday souvenirs

The wildlife trade affects tourists too. Corals, shells, products made from turtle shell, ivory or reptile skin, dried seahorses and live plants such as some orchids and cacti may come from protected species. Bringing such souvenirs home without a permit can lead to confiscation and a fine. The simplest rule is not to buy souvenirs made from animals and plants when you can't confirm where they came from.

How to choose an exotic pet responsibly

1. Find out whether the animal is captive-bred, and ask for the paperwork.
2. Check whether it's legal to keep this species in your country and whether you need any permits.
3. Research its needs: temperature, light, diet, vivarium or enclosure size and lifespan.
4. Find a vet who works with this species before you buy.
5. Never release an animal into the wild if you can't keep it: contact a specialist rescue.

What this means for Europe

Europe is one of the largest markets for exotic animals, but as the authors note, there's little data on trade here. Trade in threatened species is regulated by the international CITES convention and EU rules, and some countries, such as Belgium and the Netherlands, have introduced "positive lists" of animals that may be kept at home. The study shows that outside the protected species there remain tens of thousands of others whose trade is almost entirely unknown.

What happens next

The authors are calling for more complete, transparent and coordinated reporting of the wildlife trade worldwide. "If we are serious about halting biodiversity loss, we need far more comprehensive, transparent and globally coordinated reporting of wildlife trade," Hughes says. The study may become an argument in talks on new rules and at upcoming biodiversity meetings.

When to see a vet

If you've got an exotic animal, have it seen in its first few days by a vet who works with this species: newly imported animals often carry parasites and hidden infections. See a vet urgently if your pet stops eating or becomes lethargic, has discharge from the eyes or nose, laboured breathing or diarrhoea, or changes to its skin, scales or feathers: in exotic animals, illness often goes unnoticed for a long time.