White House announces advisory committee on wildlife trafficking

The White House has announced the membership of the Advisory Council to the Presidential Task Force on Wildlife Trafficking. The council, composed of knowledgeable private-sector leaders, representatives of non-profit organizations and former government officials, will advise and assist the presidential task force as it works to develop a national strategy for combating wildlife trafficking, a White House release said. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced the members of the council -- mandated by an executive order on combating wildlife trafficking signed by President Obama July 1 -- at the White House Monday. Judith McHale, president and chief executive officer of Cane Investments, was announced as chair of the committee, which includes members from the legal world as well as from wildlife groups such as the World Wildlife Fund and the Wildlife Conservation Society. "The United States remains strongly committed to combating wildlife trafficking, to assisting foreign nations in building capacity to combat wildlife trafficking, and to assisting in combating transnational organized crime," the White House said in its release.