1. Reasons why rhinos are being poached 1.1. The number of rhinos being poached has grown rapidly in recent years and is being driven by the demand for rhino horn in Asian countries, particularly Vietnam. The main reasons people poach rhinos are for medicinal purposes and to have as a status symbol to display your wealth and success. In Chinese culture, a rhino horn is used to treat “fever, rheumatism and gout. They also believe that the horn can cure snakebites, hallucinations, typhoid, headaches, carbuncles, vomiting, food poisoning and devil possession.” The rhino horn is usually shaved into a powder, dissolved in hot water and then consumed by the patient. Some western countries believe that rhino horns are used as an aphrodisiac, but this is not true. However, people in Vietnam believed this tale and started to use the rhino horn for new reasons. They also use the rhino horn as a hangover cure. More and more people are buying rhino horns as a status symbol or …show more content…
The linkage of power of the private rhino owners will increase effectiveness of prevention of rhino poaching. The only way of knowing for certain whether the legalizing of rhino horn trade will work is when it is legalized. Extreme policies and legislation would be put in place to ensure that this system would work effectively.Another strategy to look at is whether the punishment for the perpetrators should be more severe and whether the use of a “shoot on sight” policy should be implemented when the culprits are caught in the act (Van Houlen, 2004). This would increase the risk for individuals contemplating to part take within the illegal activities of rhino
The prices of tiger pelts continue to go on the rise because “as the destruction of tigers decrease supply, the price of their parts rises further, creating even greater incentives for poachers to kill the remaining animals” (Linden). These innocent animals are in danger in both unsecure and secure places. Poachers will not hesitate to go into zoos and kill an animal. Recently, zoo veterinarian Eric Miller talked about an incident that happened in France. Miller said, “we were shocked last week by the news that a white rhinoceros was killed when poachers entered Thoiry Zoo” (“A Critical Time for Saving Rhino Species”). The prolonged war against poaching is not promising for the future of some animal species. Animals are being driven to endangerment and even close to extinction. A recent extinction in the wild happens to be the white rhino. In 1960 white rhinos numbered more than 2000, but now they are extinct in the wild (Miller). The few white rhinos that are alive, in the world, are kept in areas such as zoos.
Hunting is a common controversial issue among people. Determining when killing an animal is necessary and ethical has mixed viewpoints. One type of hunting that generally creates feelings of animosity among people is trophy hunting. There are very few ethical theories and ideas that support trophy hunting. Trophy hunting is a form of hunting in which the hunter kills an animal with the main goal of taking a part or parts of that animal for a trophy. The majority of trophy hunting occurs in Africa, with big game as the most popular trophies, but trophy hunting also applies to non-exotic species as well. In this paper, I will start with introducing a recent incident involving the killing of a popular African lion, then outlining the main ethical issues with trophy hunting. Next I will analyze the trophy hunting from an anthropocentric, biocentric, and ecocentric viewpoint, and finally I will propose a few solutions that would make trophy hunting a more ethical activity. Trophy hunting has been said to provide many benefits to conservation and preservation of species but is ethically lacking; with some stronger laws and regulations trophy hunting has the potential to be both ethically acceptable and beneficial to the environment.
Poaching animals is defined as the “illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals mainly in areas in which hunting is forbidden” . The main difference between poaching and hunting is the legal permission, indeed “hunting is regulated by the government, and hunters must obtain permits authorizing them to kill certain animals” .
Hunting has been a part of life for many since the beginning of time, but in this generation some hunting has transformed into a barbaric and cruel practice. The sport of hunting has begun to invade the lives of many endangered species, which has drawn much concern. And in recent news, a Minnesota dentist was caught hunting a protected lion in Zimbabwe. The death of this particular lion has produced a deep shock throughout the entire world and people are now on the hunt for him to charge him for his wrongdoings. The article “US should forbid the import of lion ‘trophies’” not only informs readers of the recent crime involving the Minnesota Dentist, but also encourages a restriction that prevents hunters from bringing home their kills. This
Many people believe that poaching is wrong, but what most people do not realize is that poaching animals is an illegal crime in most places. Orenstein, proving his assertions, stated that, “Perhaps it is stating the obvious, but poachers, whatever drives them to poach, are breaking the law…The media often confuse matters by talking about ‘illegal poaching’ as though there were such a thing as
Because of the sale of illegal ivory so many elephants' lives are put at risk. If the poaching of elephants and ever-growing trade in illegal ivory is to be seriously addressed, part of the solution to this complex problem must be a return to the full ban on the sale of ivory established in 1989 (Bloody Ivory). Between 434,000 and 684,000 African savanna elephants in 18 countries remain, down 30% in the last seven years. Once again levels of poaching and illegal trade have spiraled out of control. Rates of poaching are now the worst they have been since 1989. There are no easy answers, but a total ivory trade ban is the one strategy we know has worked (Mary Rice). Hong Kong seized 779 elephant tusks three days into 2013, over a ton of ivory,
Wildlife hunting is a big business a 2013 estimate valued the illegal poaching trade in Africa worth 17 billion dollars a year and growing. While elephant poaching between 1800’s - 1999 and 2000’s and up have some similarities they also have a wide variety of differences. Elephant poaching in 1800’s-1999 was done to meet the worldwide demands, but elephant poaching in 2000’s and above was done for sport. Elephant poaching is wrong and shouldn’t be done.
Recently, the poaching controversy has gained more attention in the news and media due to the killing of Cecil the Lion back in 2015. But what exactly is poaching and why is it illegal? Poaching can be defined as the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals. Animals are captured and killed for their parts and products that are eventually sold on the black market and to cartels to make medicines, trinkets, and other products. Animals are typically poached for personal gain and value.The the illegal poaching trade in Africa alone has accumulated a worth of $17 billion dollars a year and it keeps growing. Ivory, fur, skin, and bones especially are in high demand and places/people are willing to pay high numbers for these products, so it is no surprise that people continue to hunt them. Due to poaching, the tiger is one of the most endangered species in the world . Tiger parts, such as fur, skin, and bones, are seen as a luxury and are used as commerce on the black market and secretly throughout Asia. Although China has participated in the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species, the laws are commonly ignored and it remains the primary destination for tiger parts. Elephants are also on the brink of extinction and the number hunted per year keeps increasing. Despite international ivory trade being banned in the 1990s, it is still sold on the black market and sought after in Asia; once again, China being the biggest demander. According to Kideghesho in Sage Journals , “widespread poaching coupled with inefficient law enforcement in Tanzania was manifested in the dramatic decline of the elephant population to less than 30% of what it was in 1979, a drop from 316,000 to 85,000 by 1987.” Rhinos are also greatly sought after in Africa. In
Planet Earth is the one and only home for humans, and it’s their natural duty to protect it and all of its inhabitants. For many people, the fate of animals is of little importance, especially when there are so many of their own species suffering throughout the world. However, only when one has respect for nature can he or she come to appreciate for his or herself. In the past few decades, some animals have progressively come closer and closer to extinction. When compared to demographics 30 years ago, less than 5% of tiger and rhino populations remain in the wild (Congressional). The main culprits for this abominable crime against nature are avaricious poachers who seek personal gain and profit. Poaching is the illegal killing of
Animal poaching has a bigger price tag than the trophy sitting on the shelf. Poaching is causing iconic animals of many continents and of our oceans to become endangered or even extinct. These animals that people have come to love and fantasize over may be gone before we are (Africa). Elephants, rhinos, lions, and zebras are the animals thought of the most when it comes to animal poaching, but many animals are poached. They are killed for only one quality, like their horns or skins and the rest of the animal is left behind. Poaching is a massive business that is ran by international networks, it’s estimated to make hundreds of millions of dollars (World). Not all wildlife trade is illegal, but it becomes a crisis when an increasing amount of illegal poaching is done and it directly threatens the survival of species in the wild (World). Since 1960 97.6% of the Black Rhino population in Africa has been poached and lions are extinct in seven African countries (Africa).
There are organizations around the globe designed to stop elephant poaching. Their intent is to sway people’s opinions to help with the world-wide problem. Only a global ban on the sale of ivory would take the heat off of these massive creatures. Solutions might include, addressing the involvement of international criminal institutes by means of strong law enforcement at both national and international levels along the full extent of the supply. Closing down domestic (national) markets in ivory, would also be beneficial. Countries could embrace the trade ban, and educate consumers in order to stem the demand for ivory (Bloody Ivory; January 11, 2013).
The article “The World votes to keep Rhino Horn sales illegal” by Jani Actman talks about the ban of Rhino horns across borders that has been in place since 1977 and what it does to protect the Rhinos, the article also highlights the arguments to abolish the ban. In the late 19th century, hunting nearly drove the animals into extinction but they have made an astonishing comeback thanks to conservation efforts. The proposal to abolish the ban was made by swaziland, a small landlocked monarchy in southern africa. The nation’s representative, Ted Reilly argued that the sales would bring in much needed money for wildlife conservation. He also stated the the ban wasn't working anyway. “They asked to sell another 44 pounds of horn a year by cutting
Studies have shown in recent years that the amount of problems for game wardens has increased dramatically. In an article by the New York Time’s, William Dicke states that in previous years, economic issues have caused an uptick in poaching (Dicke, para. 7). Due to the sheer number of unemployed and the rates going up, crime is rising as well, and it shows in abnormal crimes like poaching. Since the unemployed have nothing to do, and they have too much time on their hands, the act of poaching is becoming more common. Often the animal is not harvested for its food products, but instead for its antlers or skin. This goes to demonstrate one of the various problems that game wardens often face, poaching.
Endangered species help to gauge the health of ecosystems and can help individuals become more conscious of their environments and conservation issues around the globe. In recent years, various species and subspecies of rhinoceros have become threatened, endangered, and even extinct. One such subspecies, which was not only endangered, but has been declared extinct inhabitat as of June 26, 2013, is Africa's Western black rhino (Lavina, 2013).
The plight of the rhinoceros is not unlike the all-too-familiar danger that the elephant faces. Illegal trade is greatly responsible for the endangerment of the species. Valued for their ivory horns, over 90% of the five rhino species have disappeared, while the rest continue to dwindle. The worth of one rhinoceros horn is $44,000, and the demand remains high in the countries of China, Taiwan, South Korea and in the Middle East. In East Asia, the horns are regarded as powerful medicinal tools, known to cure everything from nosebleeds to food poisoning. In a powdered from, the horn is thought to be a powerful aphrodisiac. Similarly, the animals? genitalia are also considered extremely valuable.