Why people practice poaching?

Poaching is the illegal hunting, capture or collecting of wildlife. Wildlife is one of the most important elements in our world because it gives use clean air from plants and many goods that humans need to stay a life. Without wildlife we will struggle to live, or we might exist no more! Poaching can affect our environment by disturbing the ecosystem that lead to extinction of wildlife and it can affect our security by creating armed conflicts. Poaching happens in many places and it targets many different species of animals. Even though it creates problems for society and the environment, there are many reasons why people practice poaching.

The first cause that motivates people to poach is money. Statistics show that there is a high number of poverty which makes people practice poaching. For example, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, “Between 2014 and 2016 there was 795 million people around the world surfing from hunger” which is a result of being extremely poor. Moreover, “In Africa 47% of the population of sub-Saharan Africa, lived on 1.90 $ a day,” claimed by World Bank, Sub-Saharan Africa Poverty and Equity Data, that means they are desperate for money. Moving to the prices of animal parts, Statistics released by the United Nations’ Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species says, “A kilogram of rhino horn is sold for up to $65,000”. What’s more, Reports from the wildlife organization Save the Elephants states that, “The price for raw ivory in China was $2,100 per kilogram”.

Because of poverty and the high prices of animal parts, tormenting from extreme poverty expecting a much more animals poaching. The Conservation Society, however, a study was conducted by using 173 illegal hunters where they were living near Ruaha National Park in Tanzania. The study concluded that, “Poverty is fuelling the poaching industry”. In that study 96% of the illegal hunters said they will stop poaching, if they receive enough money that meet their needs (Gallagher par.3). A high number of elephant poaching is found in areas where poverty and children death are worst, however, the income of unlawful ivory trade is not received by the villagers (Stoddard par.5). Elephant poaching in Africa have reached 5% of the whole population since 2010 – a high point because poaching elephants is moving faster than the animal’s birth rate (Ed Stoddard par.9).

Poaching rhinos because of the need for their horns to use it in traditional medicine in Vietnam and china – has also increased, significantly in South Africa, home to most of the animals (Ed Stoddard par.10). South African government statistics claim that, “As of Dec. 19, record 946 rhinos had been poached in the country in 2013, compared to 668 in all of 2012.” (Ed Stoddard par.11). This is not the only reason for poaching, there are many other causes that lead to this problem.

The illegal trade of wildlife has an effect on people security. It has increased in the past few years, and it helps to fond armed conflicts. The illegal trade of wildlife returns easy money, so people get rich very quickly. “The illegal trade of global wildlife and natural resources is worth nearly $213 billion a year,” says Lucy Westcott (Westcott par.1). The profits of the illegal trade of wildlife supply conflicts. According to a new report from the United Nations and Interpol. Achim Steiner, head of the United Nations Environment Program, told Reuters that,