Poachers decimate species populations

Poaching—the illegal hunting or capture of wildlife—is a vicious threat to biodiversity and endangers the survival of countless species. Poaching is a billion-dollar industry with countless victims:

• • Hunters and traffickers kill endangered animals as trophies, for body parts to be sold on the black market, or for use in traditional medicine.
  • Poachers capture and sell wild and rare animals in the illegal pet trade.
  • Illegal loggers exploit timber-tree species.
  • Traffickers harvest rare flowers for illegal sale to collectors and for use in cosmetics.
  • Species loss affects entire ecosystems and harms Indigenous Peoples and local communities who rely on the rainforest for homes, jobs, and culture.