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An international team of scientists led by researchers at the University of Melbourne in Australia found that at least 107,356 species of animals, plants, and fungi are used or traded in different parts of the world.
The study was published Oct. 30, 2026, in the scientific journal Science Advances and drew on tracking systems to analyze the scale of global wildlife use and trade.
The figure is more than twice the previous estimates, which put the number of species involved at around 50,000. Researchers even warned that the true number could be higher because of limitations in international records.
How Scientists Found More Than 107,000 Species Are Traded
To carry out the study, the scientists compiled information from different programs and national and international records tracking the wildlife trade.
The goal was to build a more complete estimate of the number of species used or traded, since existing systems often record sectors and products separately.
From that analysis, the team identified at least 107,356 species of animals, plants, and fungi involved in different economic activities and forms of use.
Which Animals, Plants, and Fungi Are Traded Around the World
Researchers said the wildlife trade includes products used routinely in daily life, even though it is often associated with exotic animals and illegal activity, according to researcher Alice Hughes in a statement released by the University of Melbourne.
These include wood, fish and seafood, medicinal plants, ornamental flowers, pets, and varieties of fungi.
Hughes said the economic value of legal activities is about 10 times higher than that of illegal ones, in line with the estimates cited in the study.
Even so, scientists warned that the fact that a species is legally traded does not mean its use is sustainable.
Scientists warned that the extraction and trade of some organisms can pose a risk to their conservation, especially when there are not enough safeguards.
Why scientists think the true figure could be even higher
One of the main problems identified by the study is the lack of systematic information on the wildlife trade in many countries.
According to Hughes, the United States is the only country that records and publicly shares trade information on a wide range of groups of organisms.
Researchers also said that up to 75% of traded species appear in U.S. databases for certain groups.
Hughes said that in regions such as Europe, the figures could be comparable or even higher, even though the lack of public data prevents precise comparisons.
In this sense, the study’s authors said it is necessary to improve data collection to determine how many species are traded, where they come from, and in what quantities.
They also proposed making use of existing customs and health inspection systems to develop more sophisticated monitoring mechanisms.