Reid Park Zoo and Tucson International Airport are teaming up to raise awareness about wildlife trafficking, a multi-billion dollar illegal industry that experts say is closer to home than many realize.
“Wildlife trade is the fourth largest international crime, only behind drug trafficking, human trafficking, and counterfeiting,” said Jennifer Stoddard, the zoo’s director of conservation and education. According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the trade is worth up to $10 billion annually.
Zoo officials say it’s not just an international problem. “It’s something that’s happening right here in the United States,” said Adam Ramsey, the zoo’s director of animal care…