Combating Wildlife Trafficking: Agencies Are Taking a Range of Actions, but the Task Force Lacks Performance Targets for Assessing Progress, GAO-16-717: Published: Sep 22, 2016. Publicly Released: Sep 22, 2016.
“Africa’s iconic elephants and rhinos face extinction The illegal trade in wildlife is worth an estimated $7 billion to $23 billion annually—and is pushing some animals to the brink of extinction. To help combat wildlife trafficking and the transnational and other criminal groups profiting from it, President Obama established a federal task force in 2013. While the task force has helped address trafficking by assisting local law enforcement and supporting conservation efforts, it is difficult to gauge its progress. We recommend that the task force develop specific performance targets to assess progress and identify areas for improvement.”