How Chinese criminals are grooming orphans into Africa's illegal wildlife trade

WBUR | By Here & Now Newsroom

Published January 7, 2026 at 11:53 AM EST

Chinese wildlife traffickers are recruiting orphans from Malawi into their network of illegal ivory trading.

Freelance journalist Rachel Nuwer joins Here & Now‘s Scott Tong to discuss how she uncovered this story, how the school operates and the impact it has on southern Africa’s animals.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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How Chinese criminals are grooming orphans into Africa's illegal wildlife trade

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How Chinese criminals are grooming orphans into Africa's illegal wildlife trade

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