Objectives  Against the background of the accelerated extinction of wildlife, the construction of a horizontal ecological compensation system for wildlife was proposed in accordance with the Kunming framework and the objective requirements of the opinions on deepening the reform of the ecological protection compensation system.

  Methods  We discussed the necessity and feasibility of constructing a horizontal ecological compensation system for wildlife. The main body of compensation and compensation,the market-oriented compensation method, and the incentive compensation standard were determined to realize the construction of the system.

  Results  The necessity of wildlife protection and ecological compensation was clarified, and the feasibility was discussed based on the theory of public goods and externalities and the practice of cross-basin horizontal ecological compensation. In the construction of the system, different levels and regions of optimization and key development areas, as well as restricted and prohibited development areas, were established as wildlife benefit and protection areas, and were respectively established as the main subjects of compensation and reimbursement. It proposed trading of wildlife incremental responsibility indicators and promoted market-based compensation for wildlife incremental responsibility indicators between compensation and compensation subjects. Based on the cost analysis method, it was suggested to measure the base cost of wildlife protection as the lower limit value, and realize the incentive compensation for the compensated subject through the wildlife incremental responsibility index trading.

  Conclusions  The horizontal ecological compensation system for wildlife incorporated all social subjects into the ecological compensation system, realized the incentive compensation for wildlife protection subjects through the market-oriented trading of wildlife incremental responsibility indexes among the whole society, and works continuously for wildlife protection.