A critical challenge for biodiversity and human well-being
Wildlife use and trade encompass the harvesting, consumption and exchange of wild animals, plants and fungi for food, medicine, materials, livelihoods and cultural practices. When managed unsustainably or illegally, wildlife use and trade threaten species survival, ecosystems and the people who depend on them.
Sustainable, legal and safe wildlife use and trade can support conservation outcomes and human development, but growing demand and illegal trade are placing unprecedented pressure on many wild species. IUCN works across science, policy and practice to improve the governance of wildlife use and trade, supporting evidence-based decision-making, international agreements, including the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and action on the ground with governments, Indigenous Peoples, local communities and partners.
