Estimates of global captive vertebrate numbers (Rethink Priorities)
In this article, I list all the estimates I could find for numbers of vertebrates that are farmed or kept in captivity for various purposes. I also describe some groups of captive vertebrates for which I found no estimates. For some bigger groups of animals that are less well-known amongst animal activists, I also describe trends and main welfare concerns.
The purpose of the article is to make it easier to find and compare estimates. Hopefully, this can also help animal advocates decide which issues to focus on. Note that I chose to focus on captive vertebrates simply to limit the scope of the article.
Summary tables
Estimates are summarized in the tables below. Numbers can also be explored in this spreadsheet. The rest of the article provides sources and explanations for these numbers.
All figures are for the whole world unless otherwise specified. For brevity, I use M for a million (10^6) and B for a billion (10^9).
Reptiles and amphibians
| Type of animal | Number alive at any time | Number slaughtered or traded annually | Uncertainty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farmed frogs | 120M–2.5B | 290M–1B | Very high |
| Farmed turtles | 250M–2.14B | 180M–900M | Very high |
| Farmed snakes | 6M–6M | 3M–3M | High |
| Farmed salamanders | 3.7M–3.7M | Not estimated | High |
| Farmed crocodiles and alligators | 1.2M–1.2M | 1.33M–1.33M | Moderate |
Fish
| Type of animal | Number alive at any time | Number slaughtered or traded annually | Uncertainty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Farmed food fish | 103B–103B | 111B–111B | Moderate |
| Farmed fish pre-slaughter mortality | Not estimated | 19B–19B | Moderate |
| Fish bred for stocking | 0.8B–65B | 35B–150B | Very high |
| Farmed baitfish (U.S.) | 1B–7B | 1B–7B | High |
| Wild-caught fish (suffocating after landing) | 0.7M–49M | 30B–102B (includes fish caught for bait and other purposes) | Very high |
| Wild-caught anchovies (in tightened nets) | 15M–187M | 174B–1.31B | Very high |
| Farmed feeder fish (goldfish) | Not estimated | 175M–175M (U.S. only) | High |
| Farmed cleaner fish | Not estimated | 90M–90M | Moderate |
| Illegally trafficked eels | Not estimated | 28M–350M | Very high |
| Sturgeons farmed for caviar | 1M–15M | Not estimated | High |
Chickens
| Type of animal | Number alive at any time | Number slaughtered or traded annually | Uncertainty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Egg-laying hens | 6.8B–9.9B | Not estimated | Moderate |
| Meat chickens (broilers) | 9.5B–16.2B | 68.8B–68.8B | Moderate |
| Broiler mothers | 350M–600M | Not estimated | High |
| Broiler fathers | 40M–70M | Not estimated | High |
| Culled male chicks | Not estimated | 3.2B–7B | Moderate |
Other birds
| Type of animal | Number alive at any time | Number slaughtered or traded annually | Uncertainty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quail | 400M–550M | 1.5B–2.5B | Very high |
| Ducks | 1.2B–1.2B | 3.2B–3.2B | Low |
| Geese and guinea fowl | 371M–371M | 700M–700M | Low |
| Turkeys | 452M–452M | 656M–656M | Low |
| Pigeons | 113M–113M | 138M–138M | Low |
| Foie gras ducks and geese | 11M–19M | 45M–64M | Moderate |
| Birds (not specified) | 195M–195M | 195M–195M | Low |
| Ostriches | 1.7M–1.7M | 0.9M–0.9M | Low |
| Pheasants (UK) | Not estimated | 39M–57M | Low |
| Partridges (UK) | Not estimated | 8.2M–13.4M | Low |
| Pheasants (U.S.) | 2.5M–2.5M | 2.5M–2.5M | Low |
| Chukars (U.S.) | 0.8M–0.8M | 0.8M–0.8M | Low |
Mammals
| Type of animal | Number alive at any time | Number slaughtered or traded annually | Uncertainty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cattle | 1.5B–1.5B | 302M–302M | Low |
| Pigs | 777M–777M | 1.48B–1.48B | Low |
| Sheep | 1.2B–1.2B | 623M–623M | Low |
| Goats | 1.04B–1.04B | 480M–480M | Low |
| Rabbits and hares | 50M–50M | 922M–922M | Low |
| Working animals | 200M–300M | Not estimated | Very high |
| Farmed for fur | 45M–100M | 60M–95M | Moderate |
| Rodents farmed for pet snake food | 3M–350M | 160M–2.1B | Very high |
| Rodents farmed for human consumption | 19.2M–25M | 71.3M–71.3M | High |
| Dogs killed for meat and fur | Not estimated | 10M–30M | Very high |
| Cats killed for meat and fur | Not estimated | 4M–10M | Very high |
| Puppy mill puppies (U.S.) | Not estimated | 2.4M–2.4M | Moderate |
| Puppy mill puppies (UK) | Not estimated | 400,000–400,000 | High |
| Bear farmed for bile | 12,000–20,000 | Not estimated | High |
| Farmed lions and tigers | 12,000–17,000 | Not estimated | High |
| Civets farmed for musk | 3,000–3,000 | Not estimated | Low |
| Dogs in shelters (U.S.) | Not estimated | 3.3M–3.3M | Low |
| Cats in shelters (U.S.) | Not estimated | 3.2M–3.2M | Low |
| Farmed deer (NZ, U.S., UK) | 1.06M–1.06M | 4,612–4,612 | Low |
| Bulls killed in bullfights | Not estimated | 7,000–250,000 | Very high |
| Thoroughbred horses (total) | 1.1M–1.1M (U.S. only) | 110,000–250,000 | High |
| Greyhound pups bred | Not estimated | 48,000–48,000 | Moderate |
Mixed species
| Type of animal | Number alive at any time | Number slaughtered or traded annually | Uncertainty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Animals used for research | Not estimated | 118M–127M | Moderate |
| Animals dissected in classrooms (U.S.) | Not estimated | 10M–20M | Moderate |
| Live imported/exported (land animals) | Not estimated | 1.9B–1.9B | Low |
| Animals sold for mercy release (Cambodia) | Not estimated | 0.7M–0.7M | Low |
| Animals sold for mercy release (Taiwan) | Not estimated | 200M–200M | Very high |
| Zoo animals (globally) | 3.5M–7M | Not estimated | High |
| Wild circus animals (Europe) | 2,400–5,900 | Not estimated | Moderate |
| Captive elephants for tourism | 16,000–16,000 | Not estimated | Moderate |
| Captive dolphins for entertainment | 1,600–1,600 | Not estimated | Moderate |
| Macaques for performances | Not estimated | 3,000–3,000 | Low |
Pets
The table below presents Euromonitor International data, which has estimates of the number of pets in 53 countries,[1] which account for about 70% of the world’s human population.
| Type of animal | Number alive at any time | Number slaughtered or traded annually | Uncertainty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pet fish | 1.14B–1.14B | Not estimated | Low |
| Pet birds | 573M–573M | Not estimated | Low |
| Pet cats | 370M–370M | Not estimated | Low |
| Pet dogs | 350M–350M | Not estimated | Low |
| Pet reptiles | 31.8M–31.8M | Not estimated | Low |
| Pet small mammals | 25.8M–25.8M | Not estimated | Low |
| Pet horses and ponies | 10.9M–10.9M | Not estimated | Low |
If estimates in tables above seem difficult to compare and comprehend, it may be useful to look at the appendix where I convert estimates into units of time. Estimates can also be explored in this spreadsheet.