Persuasive Essay Sample on Illegal Poaching

Wildlife Trafficking is a $20 billion a year criminal industry. Elephant tusks and rhino horns sell for approximately $132,000 a pound. “Experts believe zoos and safari parks in the UK will be targeted by gangs who can sell rhino horns for up to 50,000 per pounds, making them 50% more valuable than gold.” (Warren) The direct definition of poaching is “killing, trapping or taking of wild animals without permission”. Also known as the illegal wildlife trade, poaching takes a toll on our environment. Animals on the brink of extinction, and the need for money is a constant battle, one of life and death. Research on the issue of poaching, the effects of how it started, and what they are doing to prevent it.

Humans have always hunted elephants and rhinos and other animals, but as more people were hunting and fewer animals it, in turn, became poaching. Poaching began with peasants as poachers killing animals for money or prize. After there was a significant decrease in the animal populations Europe made poaching illegal by imprisonment. “Their goal was to supplement a scanty diet. In medieval Europe feudal landowners enforced their exclusive rights to hunt and fish on the lands they owned.” (Britannica) The exception was that nobles could hunt the animals. In the 17th century, there was an overuse of resources that were eventually destroyed. Closer to the 18th century the rich bought land to hunt on. When the resources were yet again depleted, the government passed laws restricting hunting and shooting on private property. Various tactics were used against gamekeepers to stop invaders from intruding on land, such as traps. In the 20th century, poaching became a sport or a game for criminal profit. Entering the 21st century organized criminal gangs rose and poaching became more common in the rest of the world such as the US.

When an animal is poached the main purpose is to get money out of it by selling the horns, fur, or meat on the black market. Poachers target the ivory or tusks on elephants, the fur on tigers, and the meat of fish. Examples include The Thula Thula Rhino Orphanage, “The Thula Thula rhino orphanage should have been a haven for young animals that had seen their mothers being cruelly butchered for their horns. Instead, it became a slaughterhouse as armed poachers stormed the compound in South Africa. The gang of eight men brutally beat the staff and took them hostage, before hacking the tiny horns off two 18-month-old rhino calves, killing them both” (Warren) Though elephant and rhino poaching is being monitored there are still many attacks and killings. Although during covid there has been a rise in the poaching numbers. Examples of the main things that are being poached are the ivory from elephants, the horns from rhinos, the meat/scales from fish, plants such as young cicadas venus fly traps, and ginseng. Rhino poachers will normally bring chainsaws to cut the horns. 

“Galleries says rhino poaching affects not just rhinos, but the environment, the health and economy of local communities, border security, and more. All of that, he says, needs to be taken into consideration.” (Powell) The communities that surround the place of increased poaching have felt the aching. Tourist communities all around the world have proceeds to go to the poaching problems but as the tourists begin to dwindle the money for the charities do as well. Nearly 2 environment protection rangers are killed a week protecting wildlife. The families of the rangers, the families of the workers in the Thula Thula Rhino Orphanage are all in a melancholy sorrow, just so the poacher can get a payday or rich millionaires can have cool decor.

The many efforts to stop poaching should be congratulated. For example, China has started to ban the ivory trade, making it illegal to buy or sell ivory. "There's no single intervention that's going to stop rhino poaching tomorrow," he said. "This is a long hard struggle, it's a war we are facing ... And if we can't secure rhinos as a species, a charismatic species at that, what hope is there for any other species living on this planet?"(Powell) In South Africa the government is playing a role in stopping the poaching problem. Poaching is not the only reason for the near extinction of animals, there is captive breeding. Many would argue that caprice breading is not a form of conservation. “Chances of surviving freedom is 33% due to a lack of hunting skills, lack of fear of humans, and susceptibility to viruses and diseases.” (Times) Organizations like Tusk have done things such as education to schools and communities, They also protect areas of land in certain parts of Africa. The protection they provide includes beehive fences, chili deterrents, and trenches. This helps deter the elephants away from areas of high poaching problems and areas where they can be safely monitored. Alternate ways to prevent poaching are to donate to countries to help protect the rainforests. “Technology can also be an important asset in the fight to conserve elephant habitats. For instance, the UK-based company Bicocarbon Engineering has developed a drone that will fly two to three meters above the surface to shoot biodegradable seedpods into the soil. Utilizing this technology, Bicocarbon Engineering claims to reforest will be 10 times faster and cost 85 percent less” (Maughan) The main problems are poaching and habitat loss. A new way of keeping animals safe is DNA tracking. The method of DNA tracking includes taking DNA from feces to see where they have been and studying the patterns to see where they might go. The scientists then try to protect the areas they might be in. This way of animal tracking is effective because the animals are not in as much contact with people. In unfortunate events when a decided animal is left behind the DNA is taken to see what heart or group the animal was with. Like humans, animals have feelings and greave death. Though endangered species need to be protected going at it the safe way is recommended, putting thought and research into the actions we take is critical.

In light of this Information the analysis on the issue of poaching, the effects of how it was initiated, and what they are doing to avert the poaching issue. The elephants are the most known animals to be hurt by poaching but not much light is shone on the poaching of walrus ivory or even the skins of Bengal tigers. The bigger issue that should be addressed is the need for help in all parts of the world. The need for money and hands, hands to help with the care of injured animals, or hands to build the shelter for injured animals. The matter of life and death, extinction and life.