Travellers Alert, Part of the Zoocheck Project . News on the Wildlife Trade Trade in wildlife is a multi-billion pound industry encompassing everything from flowers to ancient trees, from insects to whales, from live specimens to carvings, skins and medicines.
Wildlife trade threatens species the world over through over exploitation.
Many have already been driven to extinction by the collection of live specimens, hunting or poaching for their parts, both legally and illegally. Sadly today, the futures of many more species is in doubt. The welfare of animals involved in trade can often be poor at best and downright cruel at worst. Birds captured from the wild are frequently squashed into cages with tens of others with no food, water or space to move around. It is not always obvious whether items have been made from animals.