After drugs, wildlife and wildlife parts are the second largest illegal trade in the world. In 2012 alone over 22,000 African elephants were slaughtered for their tusks, and experts are predicting 2013’s numbers will be even worse once they’re tallied later this year. But the issue stretches beyond Africa to include traffickers, buyers, distributors and consumers around the world. Ensia spoke to Iris Ho, wildlife program manager at Humane Society International, about tackling this issue in two of the world’s illegal wildlife trade hotspots — China and the United States.