Hunting  Trade  Collection  Overexploitation

International trade in wildlife is highly profitable. Huge numbers of animals and plants are collected and shipped around the world for scientific and medical research as well. They are also collected for display in zoos and gardens, for private collectors, and for products that can be derived from them.

Collections of animals for zoos and laboratories have helped reduce the gorilla populations toward extinction, especially when large numbers of the creatures are killed in the process of capture or die in captivity before being displayed or experimented upon.

Pressures are also put on endangered species by zoos. The way these animals are treated and handled is often horrible and extremely cruel. In 1977, eight of America's top zoos were listed as buyers of illegally imported reptiles.

Collections are also made outside of zoos. Wild populations are often collected for the pet trade as well. Between 1967 and 1972, the United Kingdom imported over 1.2 million specimens of the Mediterranean Spur-thighed Tortoise from Morocco alone.
It is believed that 80% die in the first year of captivity. Most wild animals do not thrive when imprisoned in cages, and countless numbers die in the process of transport and capture.