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Forbidden Trade

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Wildlife trafficking trafficking GHISLAIN & MARIE DAVID DE LOSSY—GETTY IMAGES the business of buying and selling (noun) She went to jail for trafficking stolen jewelry. happens all around the world. Animals are illegally taken and sold for money. Below are some of the most trafficked animals on Earth.

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TIGERS are poached in Asia. They are hunted for their claws, skin, and bones. These are used to make medicine and to show off a person’s wealth. There are only about 3,800 tigers left in the wild.

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About three African RHINOS are poached each day. People hunt them for their horns. The horns are trafficked, or sold illegally. They are used as medicine. Some are made into jewelry.

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ELEPHANT tusks are made of ivory. It is a hard, white material. Tusks are often bought illegally. They are used to make decorative items. In Africa, about 55 elephants are poached each day.

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TURTLES are trafficked as live animals in Asia. They are sold as pets or as meat. More than 10,000 black spotted turtles have been taken by authorities authority FOTOGRAFIXX—GETTY IMAGES people who enforce rules and laws (noun) Authorities are investigating the source of the graffiti. in recent years.