Reid Park Zoo and TUS team up to fight wildlife trafficking

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — 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.

One of the victims, a squirrel monkey named Toto, was rescued at the U.S.-Mexico border. Malnourished and with filed-down teeth, Toto needed months of medical care and social rehabilitation before joining a new troop.

The campaign will place signs in the airport with QR codes that travelers can scan to learn more about the dangers of wildlife trafficking. “All too often airports are at the center of wildlife trafficking in southern Arizona,” said Austin Wright, chief communications officer for the Tucson Airport Authority. “It’s so important that the airport steps up and helps get the message out.”