U.S. trade in wildlife in 198l reached nearly US $ 1 billion; one South American puma skin fetches as much as US $ 40,000 in West Germany; and an ounce of rhino horn may be more expensive than an ounce of gold in many Oriental medicine shops.
據華盛頓公約記載，美國一九八一年的野生動物進出口貿易額將近十億美元；一件南美山貓皮在西德的價碼高達四萬美元，一隻中南美洲大金剛鸚鵡在國際上的價格為五千美元，一盎司的犀牛角在東方藥鋪可以比一盎司黃金還貴。