8 Steps to Take to Prevent Poaching
Poaching – the illegal hunting, capturing, and killing of wild animals – is typically done out of a desire to profit from and use (even for good reason, as in the case of medicinal reasons) the natural resources that animals are in possession of.
These items might include ivory, fur, organs, skin, bones, or horns (as in the case of the Black Rhino, whose horn is used for its medicinal value).
In addition to participating in the (lawful and unlawful) killing of wild or protected animals, poachers also harm animals by pursuing them with a license, trespassing in areas where the animals are (even in protected territories), or exceeding one’s bag limit.
While poaching is far from over, experts agree that there are a number of ways that the world can help reduce and even prevent poaching.
Take a moment to check out these seven steps that should be taken to prevent poaching from continuing in order that those who kill animals for the selfish sake of elite financial spending can be stopped.
1. Recruit More Wild Scouts
One of the things that can be done to ensure that animals are protected is for organizations to recruit and train more wildlife rangers and scouts in regions that are especially vulnerable. By doing this small and simple act, organizations can simultaneously help protect endangered animals while also offering people interested in preserving wildlife a great source of income.
2. Get the General Public Involved
Another way to prevent poaching is to spread the word to the public because this illegal practice cannot be stopped using law enforcement agencies alone. By providing the public with education on the practice and how it is bad for animals, humans, and even economies, we can take meaningful action against poaching. Public education will also go a long way in undermining and dispelling existing myths about the medical, aphrodisiac, and religious uses of animal parts.
- Empower members of the community
Another strategy might be to empower those located in the local community of animals that are endangered or vulnerable to the violence of poaching.
These community members might include farmers and residents living near endangered species habitats.
Community members might also opt to increase the number of wildlife scouts at the borders so as to put an end to any hostility between people and animals or limit any retaliatory killings of the local endangered species.
4. Provide Animals a Sanctuary
Another strategy to prevent poaching includes providing animals with a sanctuary. These spaces are invested in paying special and particular attention to animals who need protection and may be vulnerable to attacks and violence.
In these spaces, animals that are the easy prey of poachers would have a safe space away from any harm.
5. More Sensors and Trackers
In addition to sanctuaries, animals would benefit from harmless and undetectable trackers that keep watch over wildlife and instead track accurate data on the animals and any threat to their lives.
6. Tougher Legal Restrictions
Despite the existing rules of the legal systems, poaching remains a prevalent practice even as it is outlawed.
What this immediately tells us is that the existing laws are not enough, and the rules that do exist need to be toughened in order to effectively curb the demand, sale, and trade of animal parts and wildlife as exotic pets.
By toughening the existing laws, poachers will immediately become vulnerable to harsher penalties, they will be tried for wildlife-related crimes, and animals will ultimately have greater protection under the law.
7. Outlaw the Sale of Animal Products and Body Parts
Another strategy to ensure that the act of poaching is prevented and curbed is by outlawing the buying and selling of wildlife animal parts, products, and even animals as exotic pets – this is especially true in the case of animal markets.
Experts agree that if the sale and trade of animal parts are outlawed, then there will be fewer people who go in search of them. This will then lead to the domino effect of having their businesses shut down.
Ultimately, this will go a long way toward reducing the prevalence of poaching and the high number of animals that are killed to create products.
By raising public and organizational consciousness regarding the sale and trade of items such as elephant ivory tusks, we may be able to get serious about curbing and eventually ending the trade of ivory and the poaching of these incredible animals.
If we are able to put this activism into practice, not only will it protect existing elephants, but it will ensure that new offspring are healthy and strong.
8. Donate to Associations Fighting the Good Fights
Finally, if you are unable to engage in any of the steps listed above, another great option is to put your dollars to work and donate to organizations that are helping to save animals in danger of poaching.
These same programs also share great education and resources on how to preserve animal habitats and how best to expand the use of land for vulnerable animals to live and enjoy.