A surge in wildlife crime is being met with unprecedented efforts by the international community to combat it, a leading UN expert said Monday.

John Scanlon, who’s the head of CITES, the global agreement that regulates the wildlife trade, said that transnational organised criminal gangs are now operating “on an industrial scale”.

But he told Daniel Johnson that he’s optimistic that the upcoming World Wildlife Conference in Johannesburg will make inroads into their illicit activities, thanks to record levels of interest from Member States eager to protect their natural heritage.

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