More than 107,000 species of wild animals, plants and fungi are used or traded worldwide, more than double previous estimates, according to a new study. The research highlights major gaps in global monitoring systems and warns that thousands of species remain outside conservation oversight.
Published in Science Advances on 30 October 2026, the study estimates that 107,356 non-domesticated species are involved in wildlife use and trade. This compares with around 50,000 species identified in the 2022 assessment by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).
Researchers identified 47,685 animal species and at least 49,723 plant species. The assessment also examined fungi, a group that receives little attention in existing wildlife trade monitoring systems.
Thousands of Species Missing From Trade Records
Of the 47,685 animal species identified, up to 31,306 were vertebrates. This represents about 42 per cent of all described vertebrate species.
The study also found that 676 animal species listed in the appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) were not recorded in trade databases. The researchers said this suggests these species were not being legally traded internationally.
The US Law Enforcement Management Information System (LEMIS) recorded 27.5 per cent of traded animal species that appeared uniquely in its dataset. The finding highlights how national records can capture species missed by international databases.
Invertebrates remain particularly poorly represented in monitoring systems. Researchers said these species have received limited attention despite their presence in wildlife trade.
The study confirmed commercial trade involving at least 16,829 animal species. It also documented 79,554 species in international trade with potential commercial use.
Among plants, medicinal use accounted for 26,842 species. Timber and other materials involved another 13,418 species.
Exotic Pets, Medicines and Consumption Drive Trade
Wildlife enters trade for several purposes, including medicinal products, biomedical research, exotic pets, ornamental plants, fashion, food and industrial materials.
The exotic pet and aquarium trade involves songbirds, reptiles, amphibians, arachnids, butterflies and ornamental fish. Social media, online marketplaces and changing consumer demand also influence this trade.
Wildlife products include leather goods, jewellery, decorative items and hunting trophies. Fisheries and wild meat also supply food and other products.
The researchers warned that inadequate monitoring makes it harder to identify risks linked to wildlife exploitation. These include declining wild populations, disease transmission from animals to humans and the spread of invasive species.
Global Monitoring Systems Overlook Most Traded Species
The study found that indicators under the UN’s Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework cover only a small share of species involved in wildlife trade.
These indicators cover an estimated 6โ11 per cent of internationally traded vertebrate species. They account for just 1.8โ2.5 per cent of species recorded in wildlife use and trade.
The researchers called for stronger reporting at the species level, including for wildlife not covered by CITES.
They said assessing whether trade is sustainable requires more than recording the number of animals or plants traded. Authorities also need information about population sizes, species ecology and the impact of extraction on wild populations.
Digital Systems Proposed to Close Monitoring Gaps
The researchers recommended replacing paper-based permits with electronic systems such as eCITES. They also proposed using optical character recognition and machine learning to extract species information from shipping documents.
Automated checks could help verify species identities, identify differences between declared and actual shipments, and detect possible laundering of illegally sourced wildlife.
These systems could also flag shipments in which animals are declared as originating from countries where they do not naturally occur.
The study called for standardised customs declarations across countries. This would help authorities record species that currently fall outside CITES monitoring and identify potential threats before populations decline further.
The researchers said better trade records must also be linked with population data. Without both, governments cannot properly assess whether wildlife trade is sustainable.
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