Wildlife trade, which can be legal, and wildlife trafficking, which is illegal trade, includes thousands of species (and millions of individual organisms) that are traded every year. Wildlife trade is very diverse and includes species of plants, fungi, and all kinds of animals, such as reptiles, birds, mammals, amphibians, fish, and insects. There are many reasons why species are traded. The most common reasons wildlife is traded are that the traded plants and animals are used for food, medicine, pets, or to create luxury items, such as souvenirs, jewelry, clothing, or furniture. In some parts of the world, people depend on wildlife for these reasons. For species that occur in high numbers, the wild populations of animals are not usually affected too much when people use them in these ways.
Some species of wild animals are relatively easy to breed in captivity. The offspring (meaning the babies) of these captive bred animals can then be traded. This is often the case for some furbearing animals, which are kept and bred in captivity so that their fur and pelts can be made into clothing, such as coats or hats.

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