White rhino family – South Africa

Jan 28, 2015: Outside Denver, a warehouse filled with one million items – rhino horn, elephant tusks and feet, zebra skins – makes up confiscated items imported into the United States by traffickers. Many of these poached animals are on the way to Asia where the rising middle class and wealthy see these animals — and their parts — as trophies or status symbols to show off to their friends. For instance, powdered rhino horn is more valuable per kilo than gold or cocaine.  Can anything stop the tide of trafficking endangered animals and their parts ? The Asia Pacific Trade deal, a proposed pact between the US and 8 Asian nations, could incorporate provisions to reduce the trafficking. Listen to the National Public Radio story.