Humans exploit about one-third of wild vertebrate species
Using these animals for food, medicine, trophies and the pet trade is helping push some toward extinction
![a composite of photos of a lion, a resplendent quetzal, golden poison frog and blue shark (left to right)](https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/062823_SP_vertebrates_feat.jpg?fit=1030%2C580&ssl=1)
Humans exploit nearly one-third of the world’s nearly 47,000 species of vertebrates — including the African lion, resplendent quetzal, golden poison frog and blue shark (left to right).
Left to right: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images; Juan Carlos Vindas/Moment/Getty Images; kikkerdirk/istock/getty images plus; James R.D. Scott/Moment/Getty Images