Poaching is the illegal hunting of wild animals. Poaching occurs throughout the world and threatens the survival of many scarce species, such as elephants and rhinoceroses. When animals become extinct, the world loses much of great value. Each species contributes in a unique way to the beauty of nature.
Poachers kill animals for different reasons. Many poachers desire the valuable parts of animals’ bodies. Such body parts include the horns of rhinoceroses and the ivory tusks of elephants and walruses. Poachers can sell these body parts for money or trade them for items such as guns and drugs. Other poachers capture live animals, such as small birds, to be sold illegally as pets. Some poachers merely kill animals for fun or to brag about what they poached.
Throughout history, countries have fought poachers in different ways. From the early 1700’s to the early 1800’s, certain forms of poaching were punishable by death in England. Today, the methods used to combat poaching are usually less severe. Biologists study various animals to determine whether they are plentiful enough to be hunted. Species are then classified as game animals, which may be legally hunted, and nongame animals, which may not be hunted. Laws in many countries dictate when and how many game animals can be killed. Penalties include prison sentences and steep fines.
Many institutions have been established around the world to help reduce poaching. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an international agreement administered by the United Nations to protect wildlife. It prohibits the trade of many nongame animals and their body parts. In the United States, the National Park System and the National Wildlife Refuge System incorporate vast areas of protected land. Many endangered species inhabit these lands.
