Illegal Wildlife Trade & Confiscation - US Fish and Wildlife Service intercepted over 72,000 live animals in the last 6 years, with over 26,000 being endangered species [1] - Illegal animal trade is linked to wealth, unique desires, illicit activities like drug trafficking, human trafficking, weapons, and money laundering [1] - Animals are also confiscated due to uneducated tourists or bad paperwork [1] Challenges for Zoos & Aquariums - Zoos face challenges including slipping attendance, tight budgets, and calls for boycotts, further complicated by the surge in confiscated animals [1] - There is no national system for finding new homes for confiscated animals, making the process complex [2] Proposed Solutions & Support - Association of Zoos and Aquariums piloted a wildlife confiscation network in Southern California [3] - Legislation is slowly progressing through Congress to create a national wildlife confiscation network, requesting $5 million annually [4] - The administration views wildlife trafficking as a national security and economic threat [7]