Illegal Trade on the Internet Threatens Wildlife

News Advisory:

WHAT: Conference call to discuss IFAW’s new report which found thousands of endangered animals and animal products for sale on the Web.

WHO: Kate Nattrass, International Fund for Animal Welfare

WHEN: Tuesday, August 23, 11 a.m. EST

Call in numbers: Within U.S. 1-888-774-0005

International 719-785-1714

Code: 9826 #

Log on: www.videonewswire.com/event.asp?id=30201

WHY:

-- Interpol estimates that the illegal trade in endangered animals and animal products made from endangered animals is worth $6-10 billion every year. It is the second biggest black market in the world, behind only the illegal trafficking in drugs. The Internet is a growing part of that market.

-- Every day thousands of wild animals and animal parts - from live chimpanzees and ivory tusks to dried seahorses - are illegally traded in cyberspace. IFAW conducted a three-month investigation, which showed that in a single week more than 6,300 endangered animals and animal products were for sale on the Web. IFAW found some of the world’s most endangered species advertised online from websites based in the UK, USA, India, Israel and Germany.

-- IFAW experts will be on the call to answer questions concerning this little known but growing phenomenon.

Contact Information

Chris Cutter

Media Contact

International Fund for Animal Welfare

Contact via E-mail