Washington, DC - To celebrate the second annual World Wildlife Day, Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Catherine Novelli will host a Google+ Hangout March 3 on the subject of combating wildlife trafficking.  The Under Secretary will be joined by prominent African and Asian leaders from several non-governmental environmental organizations.  Peter Knights, Executive Director of WildAid, will moderate the discussion and panelists will include: Paula Kahumbu, Executive Director of Wildlife Direct; Nhi Thoi, Rhino Project Lead for CHANGE; and Grace Ge Gabriel, Asia Regional Director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

The Hangout will be broadcast live at 9:00 a.m. EDT on the U.S. Department of State’s YouTube channel and Google+ page.  Questions can be submitted in advance on the Department’s Google+ page and via Twitter by using #WorldWildlifeDay.

Wildlife trafficking is a multi-billion dollar criminal enterprise that poses not only a critical conservation concern, but also represents a serious threat to the security and economic stability of the countries involved.  World Wildlife Day presents an opportunity to raise public awareness about the impacts of wildlife trafficking on the natural environment and the people who share it, and the key role that the U.S. is playing to combat this illegal activity.