Animal Poaching Research Paper

Despite the fact that extinction itself is a natural process, one which has occurred on a mass scale multiple times throughout history, it has never occurred at this rate before--and never as a result of humans. In Asian and African countries, this rapid extinction of wildlife is due to poaching, which has risen exponentially in recent years. Because of this, governments in the countries where the dismembered body parts of elephants and rhinos are being illegally poached and sold need to enforce stricter laws and harsher punishments to protect these animals that are already on the brink of extinction; especially putting into consideration the detrimental effects this could have on the ecosystem as well as the surrounding communities, if altered. …show more content…
Ecologically, it throws off the natural balance of the ecosystem and wreaks havoc on the environment. Not only do Rhinos make way for other species to eat by feeding on the plants that block others’ path which helps shape their environments, but also “[turn] dense fields into rolling grasslands” (“Rhino Rescue”). Similarly, elephants help transform their habitat by distributing seeds to “[boost] the health of the savannah ecosystem” (“Why are Elephants Important?”). Without these peaceful creatures, the expansive grasslands that Africa is known for would not and could not be. Economically, poaching hurts the country’s economy and surrounding communities because this land that is synonymous with the continent is home to animals that bring in tourism, and that “tourism brings in $80 billion a year to Africa” (“Rhino Rescue”). This is money that Africa desperately needs, seeing as it is home to some of the poorest, impoverished countries in the world. On a local level, communities depend on that tourism as well, meaning increased levels of poaching puts these villages at risk (“The Devastating Effects of Poaching of Wildlife Poaching”). Ironically, some poor men from these communities poach in order to support their families. Poacher’s, as well as armed rangers’ lives are in danger. According to “The Bloody Toll of Congo’s Elephant Wars”, one national park has already seen 13 rangers die at the hands of poachers. …show more content…
While many animal rights organizations believe that closing legal ivory markets will make the demand fall, most of the ivory trade is being done illegally. In fact, ““...more than 90 percent of ivory sold in China was illegal,” and from 2009-2014 nearly seventy-five percent of ivory by weight was illegal. A: This shows that shutting down the legal market will not help to save these animals’ lives or threaten the poachers. There are far better solutions, including one that might sound counterintuitive: make ivory trade legal. There is a man in South Africa who owns the largest rhino ranch where he cuts off and stores the rhinos’ horns, in hopes to be able to sell them once the market becomes legal. (“Inside the Dark World of the Rhino Horn Trade”). Rhinos’ horns can regrow if cut properly, A: which only further drives the opposition to poaching; it is inhumane and unnecessary. The tame beasts are not harmed in this process and the consumers’ demands are met as well; it is truly a win win situation, one that should be looked into. E. E: Another controversial so-called solution is trophy hunting. E: Licenses to hunt in Africa are often auctioned or sold to the rich, and those hunters argue the money goes to the conservation of that species which can bring awareness to the cause and that hunting increases the value of the animals. Proponents also claim that it benefits local communities, who

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