On U.S. Visit, Prince William Takes Aim at Wildlife Trafficking

The Duke of Cambridge is a vocal advocate for imperiled wildlife such as elephants and rhinos.

As the United States rolls out the red carpet for Prince William's royal visit on Monday, the Duke of Cambridge is casting a light on the black market in wildlife trade.

In Washington, D.C., the prince announced the formation of a royal task force to work with the transportation industry—from airlines to shipping companies—to examine its role in wildlife trafficking.

Under the auspices of the royal conservation organization United for Wildlife, the task force "will call on companies to implement a 'zero tolerance' policy towards the trade," William told a meeting of the World Bank's International Corruption Hunters Alliance. "Criminals are able to exploit weak and corrupt standards, so we must raise those standards, collectively." (Read William's full speech here.)

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