Ecology:
Reducing the Risks of the Wildlife Trade
Katherine F. Smith,1,2,*
Michael Behrens,3
Lisa M. Schloegel,2,4
Nina Marano,5
Stas Burgiel,6
Peter Daszak2,*
The magnitude of the international wildlife trade is immense, with estimates of billions of live animals and animal products traded globally each year (1, 2). This trade has facilitated the introduction of species to new regions, where they compete with native species for resources, alter ecosystems, damage infrastructure, and destroy crops (1, 3). It has also led to the introduction of pathogens that threaten public health, agricultural production, and biodiversity (1, 4).
1 Brown University, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Providence, RI 02912, USA.
2 Wildlife Trust, New York, NY 10001, USA.
3 Pacific Lutheran University, Biology, Tacoma, WA 98447, USA.
4 Kingston University, School of Life Sciences, Surrey, KT1 2EE, UK.
5 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
6 Global Invasive Species Programme, Alexandria, VA 22301, USA.
* Authors for correspondence. E-mail: katherine_smith{at}brown.edu and daszak{at}wildlifetrust.org
