Every year, hundreds of millions of plants and animals are harvested or caught and shipped all over the world.

They’re often sold as medicines, food, pets, souvenirs and clothing. While a large proportion of the trade is legal, there is also a great deal of illegal activity taking place worldwide, threatening the survival of many endangered species.

Overexploitation is the second largest direct threat to many species, but it can affect humans too. Communities rely on wild animals for food and trees for fuel while overfishing in our oceans can have catastrophic effects for the entire marine ecosystem.