Fighting Wildlife Crime: New U.S. Strategy Broadens Scope
U.S. takes leadership role to protect endangered wildlife and enhance global security.
President Obama's new national strategy to combat illegal wildlife trafficking around the globe is intended to be far more sweeping than curbing the poaching of African elephants.
It is also aimed at combating organized crime in unstable African countries.
"Record high demand for wildlife products, coupled with inadequate preventative measures and weak institutions, has resulted in an explosion of illicit trade in wildlife in recent years," Obama said in a statement. "Today, because of the actions of poachers, species like elephants and rhinoceroses face the risk of significant decline or even extinction. But it does not have to be that way. We can take action to stop these illicit networks and ensure that our children have the chance to grow up in
