350 million+ — number of plants and animals involved in international wildlife trade each year1
$6 billion — annual worth of criminal wildlife trade2
99,939 — number of primates legally imported into the U.S. as pets or research animals between 1995 and 20021
80-90 — percentage of macaque monkeys (popular exotic pets) infected with Herpes B virus or Simian B, a virus harmless to monkeys but often fatal to humans1
18.3 million+ — number of live reptiles imported to the U.S. between 1989 and 19973
7 million+ — number of iguanas, snakes, lizards, and other reptiles kept as pets in U.S. homes 1
90 — percentage estimated to carry salmonella4
90,000 — number of cases of salmonellosis contracted annually by humans from pet reptiles 4
12 million — number of birds killed to eradicate a pet bird strain of Newcastle disease from California poultry in 1971 4
$56 million — amount of federal funds spent on the eradication 5
3 — number of years since 1974 that virulent strains of Newcastle have not occurred in pet birds in the U.S. 6
$190 — cost of endangered golden lion tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia) in Brazil 7
$20,000 &... Read more
Articles by Wildlife Trust
Wildlife Trust empowers local conservation scientists worldwide to protect nature and safeguard ecosystem and human health.
