News

World leading conservationists are launching a global campaign to combat the illegal trade in wildlife - and are calling on members of the public to help solve the crisis.

Chester Zoo is leading the initiative in Europe in a battle to save hundreds of species threatened with extinction.

The illegal wildlife trade is worth $19 billion every year. It is the fourth biggest international crime after drugs, arms and human trafficking.

One of the greatest threats to the future of wildlife is illegal killing and the trading of animal parts, with 20,000 elephants and more than 1,000 rhinos poached in Africa in recent years for their ivory and horn retrospectively. Poaching and trade is endangering the future of tigers, sun bears, pangolins and other species vulnerable to extinction.

Chester Zoo has now joined forces with the international wildlife trade monitor TRAFFIC - as well as Taronga Zoo in Australia and San Diego Zoo in the USA - to tackle what is the most urgent threat to many species.

Experts hope that the new worldwide campaign will inspire the public to report offences when they see or suspect them via Wildlife Witness, a free smartphone app.