Poaching & Trafficking

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Introduction

A collection of confiscated "exotic" wildlife products.
Credit: USFWS/Steve Hillebrand
Even today, when we claim that we protect our animals and try to secure a better future for them, poaching and illegal trafficking of animals remain the most common reasons which lead to the extinction of wildlife. When animals are unfortunate enough to cross the path of ruthless poachers, they become the victims of vicious traders. What do we need in order to help these animals and protect them from this violence?

Poaching of Elephants

Group of elephants
Credit: USFWS/Miriam Westervelt

Elephants are one of the most hunted down species in the world. The poachers who take the lives of elephants in exchange for their teeth are not necessarily ruthless people. Poverty as well as the need to survive is their motive. Ivory hunting offers them enough money and to feed and clothe their families. The high risks they face when smuggling elephant ivory across borders is more than compensated by payments from customers. Ivory trade has become the livelihood of at least 70,000 people.

The Ivory Trade

Elephants are one of the most endangered species nowadays. For years now they have been hunted for their tusks, since elephant ivory is used to make jewelry, statues and icons. In the past, tusks were only taken from the male elephants because of its better quality and greater size. However, at present, owing to the alarming decline in numbers, female elephants and their babies are hunted as well. The average tusk comes from a six-year-old elephant and if this continues at the same rate, elephants will soon be extinct.

Protection

In order to protect these animals, several foundations and funds have been established in order to prevent the worse- an extinction in the elephant kind. The World Wildlife Fund has founded a special chapter for elephants, called Elefund. Unfortunately, Poaching cannot be effectively stopped, even by legislation, until there are no customers for ivory. When in 1989 an international ban was placed on international trade of elephants or products made out of elephants, only seven countries refused to go along with it. The ban was very effective as it motivated thousands of people to protest against ivory trade, which led to the fall of ivory prices. Poaching and illegal trafficking of elephants was reduced and and in countries such as China and Hong Kong ivory carving factories were closed down. Hopefully, if bans and international laws are supported as well as this we will be able to prevent such illegal trading.

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