Global Conservation Body Endorses Comprehensive Action
Delegates at the 2025 IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi have voted overwhelmingly in favor of a new resolution aimed at curbing the booming global trade in wild animals kept as pets. The motion, backed by more than 90 percent of members, calls for the creation of international guidelines to address what conservationists describe as an unsustainable and poorly regulated market threatening biodiversity, animal welfare, and human health.
Mounting Evidence of a Global Crisis
The wildlife pet trade now spans thousands of species—ranging from reptiles and amphibians to birds and mammals—many taken directly from their natural habitats. In Indonesia alone, nearly 200,000 wild birds were recorded in inter-island shipments over a three-year period, while online markets in the United States listed more than 650 reptile and amphibian species for sale in just four years. Conservationists warn that these figures represent only a fraction of the true scale, as many animals die during capture or transport, and unreported trade remains widespread.
New Guidelines to Drive Global Policy Reform
Under the adopted motion, IUCN will form a task force to draft science-based, precautionary guidelines for managing the pet trade, potentially shifting from the current system of allowing trade unless prohibited to a “positive list” model that restricts sales to pre-approved species. The move signals a significant policy shift, reflecting growing international recognition that the exotic pet trade poses not only ecological risks but also public health and biosecurity threats.
