Domesticated animals provide much of the world's meat products today, but wildlife still constitutes to be an imp ortant source of food of many rural communities. The International Trade in Wildlife for ‘game meat' is carried out on a large scale due to high economic returns as revealed by customs reports. For instance, green turtles (Chelonia mydas ) have been exported from the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean to Europe, and elsewhere, for a long time to satisfy the gourmet (i.e. luxury food) trade, although this is now prohibited by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

Invertebrates too are an important source of food for people throughout the world. There are many species of marine molluscs (e.g. oysters, cuttlefish, squid) and arthropods (e.g. crabs, shrimps, lobsters) that are used as food and are economically important. Terrestrial species in these groups are also popular in some regions. For instance, the Giant African Land Snail (genus Achatina), believed to have a protein value similar to beef, is eaten by many people in different parts of Africa. Large scale of frog legs were sent to Paris as these are considered as delicacy in Paris. But frogs play a very important role in mosquito control hence their export has been prohibited now.