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Endangered Species Valuable Species

Endangered Species Valuable Species

FILE - In this April 18, 2007 file photo provided by Florida Museum of Natural History, a new genus of frogmouth bird, seen at top right, shown in Gainesville, Fla., was found in the Solomon Islands by Florida Museum of Natural History ornithologists Andrew Kratter and David Steadman. The 175-nation U.N. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, known as CITES, is based in Geneva and regulates nearly 35,000 species of animals and plants. Experts rank wildlife smuggling among the top aims of criminal networks, along with drugs and human trafficking. CITES says wildlife crime remains poorly studied but it says international estimates of the scale of illegal wildlife trade range from between $16 billion and $27 billion a year. Tiger parts, elephant ivory, rhino horn and exotic birds and reptiles are among the most trafficked items. (AP Photo/Florida Museum of Natural History, Jeff Gage) **NO SALES**

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