What is Poaching?

Poaching refers to the illegal hunting, fishing or harvesting of wild plants or animals (www.wikipedia.com)

Poachers are active throughout the African continent, although some areas are much harder hit than others. Poaching is common in areas that are economically poor. Even though an animal is protected and laws have been passed to make hunting and killing that animal illegal, the animal is still hunted and killed. 

Poaching usually leads to the selling of the animal killed. Whether it be its skin, bones, body parts, poachers will sell whatever is that of value. Poaching, many times, is viewed as not being a very serious crime and where it is, it is extremely hard to enforce.  In Africa where most poaching occurs, corruption is high and enforcement is difficult.  Poaching is very difficult to stop and is also a main contributor to animal extinction.

The most well-known animals poached?

The elephant and the rhino. Iivory is valued highly. To get the ivory, the elephant must be killed. Hundreds of Elephants from Zimbabwe, for example,  are killed each year for this reason.

Is it only an African problem?  

Hunting out of season is also a big problem in the United States and hunting out of season is the same as poaching.  Hunting season is meant to protect animal populations and breeding cycles.  The reasons that people hunt out of season range from lack of education to sheer arrogance.  Most people who do this are are trophy hunters.

Does Poaching always involve killing?

Poaching also involves capturing wild animals and not killing them, but rather selling them.  For example, some people capture reptiles or birds in South America so that they can eventually be sold in pet stores around the world. 

Unfortunately, it is very hard to stop poaching.  People’s selfishness and lack of respect for law make wildlife preservation very difficult. See photos.