Princeton University-led research provides a new weapon in the struggle against the devastating wildlife trade: the very markets where animals are bought and sold. The researchers found that species that are disappearing as a result of the pet trade can be identified by changes in their market prices and trade volumes — increasing prices and decreasing availability could mean that wild populations are plummeting. Regular pet-market monitoring could help indicate when a particular species is in trouble so that measures could be taken to monitor and protect its wild population.