Illegal wildlife trade threatens 'nearly half' of Unesco sites

Almost half of Unesco's World Heritage sites for nature are "plagued" by wildlife criminals, according to a new report.

Conservation charity WWF says poaching, illegal logging and fishing in the supposedly protected areas is driving some endangered species towards extinction.

At least 43 of the 200 designated Unesco sites reported poaching of endangered species such as elephants, rhinos and tigers, while half of the world's 39 marine and coastal world heritage sites have reported illegal fishing.

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It is estimated that the illegal wildlife trade is worth £15bn worldwide, adds the report.

Chris Gee, head of conservation at WWF UK, told The Guardian: "Next year, London will host the fourth illegal wildlife trade conference. The UK government must bolster efforts to support the end of this devastating trade.

"Now is not the time to drop the ball on this issue. These findings show that for the future of many of our most endangered species it's a matter of life and death."

Between 1970 and 2012, global wildlife populations dropped almost 60 per cent on average, reports the BBC.

The WWF has called for cooperation between the World Heritage Convention and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species to reverse this trend.