Illegal Wildlife Trade

Listed below are key statistics and facts about the illegal wildlife trade worldwide. The information about the illegal trade has been collected from various public documents such as government agencies, wildlife conservation programs, and news articles.

Click on the data value to see the original source.


Illegal Wildlife Trade Facts

  1. Animal and Wildlife Trafficked Per Year 350 Million Specimens
  2. Bolivia Animal Trade Over 60,000 animals in 5 years
  3. Bunny Trafficker Profit in LA $300 to $400 per day
  4. Cheetahs Killed for Trafficking 104 killed in 2012
  5. Cockfight – Winner’s Prize $15,000
  6. Colombia – Wildlife Seizures 64,507 animals seized in 2012
  7. Colombia – Wildlife Trafficked 60,000
  8. Cow Smuggling 2 Million cows smuggled from India to Bangladesh
  9. Dog Smuggling 30,000 dogs from Thailand to Vietnam
  10. East Asia and Pacific Illegal Wildlife Trade $2.5 Billion per year
  11. Elephant Poaching in Zimbabwe 100 elephants died from cyanide
  12. Elephants Killed in DR Congo 1,000 between 2010-2013
  13. Elephants Killed in Mozambique Over 2,500 between 2009-2012
  14. Elephants Poached in 2012 50,000
  15. Elephants Poached in 2013 At least 20,000
  16. Forest Ranger Corruption 20% cut of ivory sale
  17. Forest Rangers Deaths 75% due to traffickers
  18. Illegal Wildlife Trade Value $19 Billion per year
  19. Ivory Price in China – 2010 $750 per kilo
  20. Ivory Price in China – 2014 $2,100 per kilo
  21. Ivory Trafficking Seizures in Togo 4.1 Tonnes in one week
  22. Leopard Poaching and Sales in India 4 per week
  23. Manta Rays Killed for Gills 3,500 to 5,000 per year
  24. Most Trafficked Animal in Cambodia The Pangolin
  25. Online Animals Sales in Dubai 796 ads online in one month
  26. Pangolin Scales Shipped Through China Postal System 1 tonne
  27. Pangolins – Vietnam 40,000 to 60,000 taken from wild
  28. Pangolins Killed in 2013 Between 40,625 to 81,250
  29. Poaching Traps Found in Malaysia 2,377 between 208-2012
  30. Puppies Smuggled into Sweden 2,000 per year
  31. Python Skins Illegal Imported to Europe $1 Billion
  32. Rhino Horn for sale $65,000 per kilogram
  33. Rhino Horn Price – USA $5,000 per pound
  34. Rhinos Killed in South Africa – 2009 122
  35. Rhinos Killed in South Africa – 2010 333
  36. Rhinos Killed in South Africa – 2011 341
  37. Rhinos Killed in South Africa – 2012 668
  38. Rhinos Killed in South Africa – 2013 1,004
  39. Rhinos Killed in South Africa – 2014 1,215
  40. Shark Fishing in Malaysia 231,212 tonnes of sharks
  41. Sharks Killed Per Year 100 Million per year as of 2013
  42. Siberian Tigers Killed by Poachers – 2012-2013 19
  43. Thailand – Animal Rescues 46,000 rescued from traffickers
  44. Thailand – Ivory Seizures at Bangkok Airport 7 tons between 2009-2012
  45. Thailand – Tortoises Smuggler $300 per trip
  46. Tigers Killed in India – 2013 48
  47. Turtles Illegal Caught in Mexico 65,000 between 2000-2014
  48. Turtles Killed and Smuggled in Australia and Indonesia 100,000 per year
  49. Wildlife Poaching in California Abalone, bear paws and sturgeon most poached
  50. Wildlife Seizures in the UK 675 in 1 year

Click here to see all wildlife trafficking statistics.
Rhino Poaching.
Elephant Poaching.