In , nearly 90 elephants were found dead near a sanctuary in Botswana , which had recently ended a strict anti-poaching policy. There were a few million elephants living in Africa in the early s, but today there are believed to be fewer than , Africa's lion populations have also been affected by poaching. Since , they have been reduced by 42 percent, and the species is now "vulnerable to extinction. Prior to colonization, the population of lions was estimated to be about 1 million.
But by , there were only about , lions living in Africa. As of , scientists estimate that only about 20, remain. Poaching does not only affect wildlife. Park rangers and game wardens are also victims of violence. From to , rangers have been killed by poaching related activity. One of the misconceptions about poaching is that it must involve endangered animals. This is not the case. In North America, for example, poaching can involve animals as common as lobster.
The big event known as "mini lobster season" takes place every summer in the Florida Keys. During that time, which precedes commercial lobster season, anyone can take to the water and snatch a spiny lobster from its "hide hole" and toss it in a cooler. When it comes time to head back home, though, officers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are sometimes present to inspect the catch. When an officer does an inspection, he uses a standard measuring device.
Placing the lobsters side by side on a table, he measures each one in the legally prescribed manner, placing the device on the lobster's carapace to check the size. That state puts a minimum of 3 inches on the size of each lobster that can be taken during "mini lobster season.
Many state wildlife management agencies have hotlines that the public can call to report poaching. It's not always someone in uniform who will catch you, either—there are undercover cops everywhere. Unlike poaching, hunting—the killing of wild animals for food or sport—is protected by law. Many elephants are poached for the ivory trade as shown above.
Poaching refers to the illegal killing or capturing of wild animals, which is occurring on an enormous scale with millions of animals from thousands of species across the world being captured and killed every year. Approximately 30 species are driven to extinction every year, with poaching being one of the main culprits of this devastation.
T he global wildlife trade is an industry that is fuelling poaching practises. Many animals are captured and killed to be sold locally or into the growing wildlife trade, particularly in Asia, a major consumer of wildlife. Some captured animals include grey parrots , reptiles, certain groups of monkeys and lemurs, that are sold as exotic pets to be kept in cages.
Other animals are poached to be used for food, jewellery, decor and traditional medicine. Black bears are poached for their bile used in traditional medicines, ivory tusks of African elephants are carved for decorations, pangolin scales are ground into a powder for their supposed healing powers, snake meat is eaten in parts of the world such as Africa and China — the list goes on. Poachers also kill animals to keep them from destroying crops or attacking livestock.
This happens to animals across the globe, such as snow leopards, wolves, elephants and lions. By clicking sign up, you agree to receive emails from Safeopedia and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Poachers are people who engage in poaching, which is the illegal hunting, capturing and killing of wild animals, fish or plants, often done for sport, entertainment or profit.
The killing and capture of animals is only considered to be poaching if the animal was killed without proper licenses and permissions. Poachers hunt animals to kill and capture without a permit. Poaching is rife in the grassy plains and savannahs of Africa, where animals roam freely in national parks. Rangers are often employed to arrest poachers, but poachers still manage to operate relatively freely in these African states. Poaching of animals for rhino horn and ivory are currently a major topical issue.
Subscribe to the Safeopedia newsletter to stay on top of current industry trends and up-to-date know-how from subject matter authorities. Our comprehensive online resources are dedicated to safety professionals and decision makers like you. By: Daniel Clark. By: Tamara Parris CD. Dictionary Dictionary Term of the Day.
0コメント