The Diane Rehm Show

International wildlife trafficking has long been considered a critical conservation issue. Now the U.S. State Department has made it a foreign policy priority as well. Wildlife trafficking increasingly threatens the security, national health and economies of many countries. Poaching operations have become more large scale, sophisticated and organized. The black market in wildlife is second only to trade in drugs and arms. It’s a likely source of funding for transnational criminal networks, possibly even terrorist groups. Meanwhile demand has grown for furs, tusks, bones, horns and other illegal animal goods. Robert Hormats, Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment, updates us on new efforts to raise awareness about conservation and stop illegal wildlife trafficking.