Wildlife trafficking is big business, netting some $10 billion a year around the globe. That makes it the third most lucrative form of illegal trade, after drugs and weapons. But the nonmonetary costs it extracts from our planet dwarf those numbers.
Wildlife trade refers to the taking and selling of live or dead animals and plants and even the products made from them. This random pilfering is driving thousands of species to extinction. In turn, that’s catastrophic for global biodiversity, meaning the wide range of species necessary to keep our planet humming. And the moving and mixing of wildlife can breed new pathogens and spread disease.
The wildlife trade will wither if the demand for its products dries up. So, before you buy something that could be a part of this heartless chain, consider the sourcing.