Premium Essay

Elephant Poaching Research Paper

Submitted By
Words 1779
Pages 8
Poaching: The Storm of Extinction
The epidemic of poaching has rocked the country of Africa. The generous profit of Ivory in Asia and lack of income opportunities is seemingly forcing innocent people, who are simply looking for a means of survival, to kill elephants for their tusks. In order for survival of families, elephant poaching has become a significant source of income in Africa. Because of this, total extinction of these majestic animals is becoming a very real possibility and studies show that sadly enough we are swiftly working towards that. Here we will discuss the scope of the issue (what, when, where and why), regulation efforts of the poaching and the projected future of the outcome of poaching.
When I first heard about poaching …show more content…
I also thought that only elephants can be poached; however, this was far from true. The definition of poaching is the illegal killing of animals. This definition determines that any animal can be poached whether it is elephants, rhinos, lions, zebras or even gorillas. According to the African Wildlife Foundation, elephants are poached in order to retrieve their tusks which are made of ivory and sell them. Ivory is carved into many different objects from jewelry, utensils, trinkets and even religious figures. Unfortunately, because of the large sum of money ($1,000-$1,500 a pound) that is collected in exchange for ivory, 35,000 elephants where poached just last year. A single male elephant's two tusks can weigh more than 250 pounds. With a pound of ivory fetching as much as $1,500 on the black market, the ivory is so valuable which is not helping the desire to decrease poaching. Rhinos are poached for their horn which are believe aid health remedies and treat ailments such …show more content…
What I never thought about was the fact that for centuries, we as humans and our ancestors have hunted. Hunting has always played an important role as historically that was our only way to feed families and survive that is until the agricultural revolution reduced the need for us to survive via hunting in most of the world. Zone of the reasons that some argue poaching began is due to the poverty levels in central and eastern Africa; which is where most of poaching takes place. According to Borgen Magazine, most poachers are men who begin poaching as teenagers. Poachers were usually living in poor areas and apart of uneducated families who have very few options for earning legal and consistent income. For many, farming wasn’t even an option because of harsh weather conditions and natural disasters were all too common. Because some are being exposed to wildlife daily, poaching not only served as a food source, but also as a thrill, a way to develop skills passed down for generations in their families. For these families, once hunting has taken place they either keep their meat for households to eat, trade it for goods or sell it for money; but whatever the outcome, it in some way benefited the livelihood of the

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Animal Poaching Research Paper

...26 February 2016 Research Paper Imagine a world without animals... Eating would change and life in general would change. One may think that this is not possible, but it is. If poaching rates continue this could be a scary true future. Poaching is a deadly crime against wildlife. Wildlife officials say that legal hunters kill tens of millions of animals every year. For each of those animals, another is killed illegally, perhaps on closed land or out of season, leaving orphaned young to starve. Few poachers are caught or punished. This according to humanesociety.org. Studies have shown an increase in poaching in the recent years which is attributed to the value of the animals...

Words: 928 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Illegal Ivory Trade

...Hannah Jones AP English P. 2 Research Paper 3/8/13 Illegal Ivory Trade Extinction rates have jumped massively in the last few years from one to two species going extinct per year to currently up to ten disappearing off of the face of the Earth per year. This problem seems to be getting worse and worse every year. In Africa, the elephants are disappearing rapidly. With such a fast rate, scientists believe all elephants will be extinct by the year 2035. In the 1980s, there were over a million elephants in the population; today there are less than 470,000. Illegal poaching seems to be the greatest cause of the loss of these animals because of the value that their ivory tusks have in the market. Are we just going to let all of the African elephants die for the selfish wants and need for an immaterial item of other people? Poaching is the illegal hunting, killing, or capturing of wild animals. Examples of poaching include hunting without a license or permit, use of a prohibited weapon or trap, hunting at the wrong time of the year, and hunting in a sanctuary or reserve, national park, or zoo. Poachers usually only take a very small part of the killed animals letting the rest of the animal carcass to rot and waste away. The ivory trade is highest today in Africa, China, and Japan with the U.S. Following right after. The demand for ivory is still on the rise. Ivory sculptures are common in the Asian culture, as well as ivory handles for guns and knives. Jewelry and piano...

Words: 1153 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Animal Poaching Research Paper

...Intro: Imagine a world without a specific species, nobody can see them anywhere anymore, not even the zoo. Well it’s a tragedy that is very possible and is happening here in our realm. Poaching in Africa is very natural, although globally illegal, and any animal is susceptible to these executioners. Not only are animals being affected by poachers, but also tribes that occupy the lands rely on the animals for food. The result of so many animals being poached in areas that tribes employ, the tribes are being malevolently accused of the rapid decline of the animal population. Most of the animals being poached will, most likely, be extinct in years to come due to the rapid decline of animals such as elephants and rhinos. As viewers of these malicious transgressions, it is our duty to become protectors of these magnificent creatures before they become extinct. It’s our time to act. Please help these defenseless creatures. Explain the Issue: In...

Words: 1625 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Wildlife

...Wildlife Conservation Efforts in India Geography project [Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of the contents of the document. Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of the contents of the document.] 2012 Nishant Aishwarya Roll Number - 26 Introduction Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative. Wildlife can be found in all ecosystems. Deserts, forests, rain forests, plains, grasslands, and other areas including the most developed urban sites, all have distinct forms of wildlife. While the term in popular culture usually refers to animals that are untouched by human factors, most scientists agree that wildlife around the world is impacted by human activities. Humans have historically tended to separate civilization from wildlife in a number of ways including the legal, social, and moral sense. This has been a reason for debate throughout recorded history. Religions have often declared certain animals to be sacred, and in modern times concern for the natural environment has provoked activists to protest the exploitation of wildlife for human benefit or entertainment. Literature has also made use of the traditional human separation from wildlife. Foods, Pets, Traditional Medicine:...

Words: 23746 - Pages: 95

Premium Essay

Asean

...environmental issues in Southeast Asia are inextricably linked, and working to ameliorate one will often have added benefits for the others. Here are some of the problems, and some things you personally can do to help. 1. Endangered species conservation The problem: Southeast Asia sits almost entirely in the tropics, and as such, is covered in rich, dense, biologically diverse jungle. As a result of a wide number of factors — from poaching to deforestation — many native species are endangered. One of the most prominent of these species is the Asian elephant. The total number of Asian elephants in the world has sadly fallen to below 30,000, down from 100,000 at the beginning of the 20th century in Thailand alone. Asian elephants are endangered for a number of reasons: First, they have been subject to ivory poaching. Though elephant poaching is illegal, there’s still plenty of demand for ivory, so it happens anyway. Second, they have experienced widespread habitat destruction, which simultaneously makes it harder to get food, and puts elephants into much more contact...

Words: 4815 - Pages: 20

Premium Essay

Philosophy

...Name: Email: Telephone Number: Class: Date: NUSSBAUM’S CAPABILITY THEORIES FOR TREATING NONHUMAN ANIMALS ETHICALLY APPLIED TO CARL SAFINA’S DISCUSSION ON VARIOUS NONHUMAN ANIMALS In this paper, I intend to explain Martha Nussbaum’s capabilities theory for treating nonhuman animals ethically, then apply this theory to Carl Safina’s discussion of various nonhuman animals in his book Beyond Words, How Animals Think and Feel. Martha Nussbaum is an American Philosopher, who focused on philosophy in the field of moral theories. She is a distinguished Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago. Her interests include the ancient Greek, ethics, political philosophy, Roman philosophy, feminism and animal rights. Her works include various books either as an author or an editor. Carl Safina is a philosopher who explored the inner feelings of the animals in his book Beyond Words. This paper will apply Nussbaum's philosophy to the Carl Safina's discussion that demonstrates that animals have feelings, and describes their cognitive nature. Thus, they are aware of the mistreatment, only that they are powerless to resist the abuses. He elaborates the communication abilities of the elephants, whales, and other animals. We, human beings consider ourselves superior to the others, but by various measures, we are the most “frequently irrational, distortional, delusional, worried.” Many people who oppose the harsh treatment of animals cite Martha Nussbaum’s capabilities theory. His...

Words: 1463 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Is There Ethical Treatment for Animals in Captivity?

...principles. Among the contrastive places that I came across in which animal captivity is proceeded, wildlife preservation zoos are the most popular, and least considered as a confinement of animal freedom. Thousands of people visit zoos daily but rarely give a thought to the miserable lives that animals have to spend stagnating and sleeping, due to the less spacious and artificial residences provided. Some present enclosures in zoos have been changed to natural barriers, instead of iron bars. Yet the space that the zookeepers can provide is limited and barely sufficient when in comparison with their natural habitats. Animals in zoos are not only bereaved of natural setting, but also of natural behavior. It is pathetic that animals like zebras, elephants and stags who by nature live in herds, have to live alone, at the most with one other partner. Some others...

Words: 2181 - Pages: 9

Free Essay

Determination of Animal Abuse

...Determination of Animal Abuse Jennifer Stafford Determination of Animal Abuse People and animals have been around since the beginning of time. In early days, animals were killed and hunted for survival. However, the relationship between people and animals has changed somewhat since then. Today, the vast majority of people do not need to kill and hunt animals in order to survive. In this paper, I will talk about how some people think that animal-factory farms, family farms and hunting is considered animal abuse. I will then later explain that neither of these is considered animal abuse. Therefore, the question is, how does one determine what actually animal abuse is? There is a massive debate about this question and there is no right answer. Everyone sees things from the perspective of their own interests and concerns. Animal abuse is classified as inflicting physical agony, anguish or demise upon an animal contingent upon one’s belief. First, some people believe that killing and hunting animals for any reason is classified as animal abuse. The first example some may classify as animal abuse is animal-factory farms. Animal-factory “farms are usually large industrial facilities where livestock are crowded together” (USA Today, 2012). The small animals, like chickens, are put into cages. One cage can hold many animals. These cages are packed so full with the small animals that the animals cannot move freely. They do not get to see sunlight, and it can be hard to breathe...

Words: 2630 - Pages: 11

Free Essay

Essay on Girrafes

...Giraffid   Newsletter  of  the  Giraffe  &  Okapi  Specialist  Group       Note  from  the  Co-­‐Chairs   Volume  7(2),  December  2013   Wow  –  what  a  bumper  issue  and,  of  course,  only  befitting  for  the   renamed  Giraffid  newsletter  of  the  IUCN  SSC  Giraffe  and  Okapi  Specialist   Group  (GOSG)!     Inside  this  issue:   It  has  been  an  exciting  last  six  months  and  this  issue  brings  you  lots  of   stories  and  tall  tales  from  across  the  African  continent  and  beyond.  From   species  conservation  strategies  and  Red  List  updates,  interesting  wild  and   captive  behaviours  to  translocations,  hooves  and  DNA,  this  is  truly  a  fully   loaded  newsletter.  An  inspiring  read  to  keep  us  all  going  over  the   imminent  festive  season  and  a  relaxing  winter  or  summer  break.   Unusual  sightings  of  wild  giraffe  behaviour  4   GOSG  together  with  the  Zoological  Society  of  London  (ZSL),  the  Institut   Congolais  pour  la  Conservation  de  la  Nature...

Words: 32485 - Pages: 130

Free Essay

Social Issues

...REPUBLIC OF KENYA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND MINERAL RESOURCES MERU NORTH DISTRICT ENVIRONMENT ACTION PLAN 2009-2013 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Economic growth and environment are closely intertwined in Kenya’s development. Environmental Action Planning is a tool that aims at enhancing the integration of environment into development planning. Meru North District faces many environmental challenges with some being unique to the District. Some of the challenges include; Poverty has lead to the over-use and destruction of environment. Continued reliance on trees for fuel and wetlands for farming and its resources has lead to deforestation and wetland encroachment. Annual flooding continues to destroy property and frustrate farming. The DEAP highlights priority themes and activities for the District towards achieving sustainable development. The report is divided into eight chapters. Chapter one gives the challenges of sustainable development and also describes the rationale for and preparatory process of the DEAP. The chapter introduces the district’s main profile covering the physical features, demographic, agroecological zones, and main environmental issues. Chapter two describes the District’s Environment and Natural resources of Land, Water, Biodiversity (forest, wildlife, and Dry lands biodiversity), wetlands and agriculture, livestock and fisheries. For each resource, major environmental issues, challenges and proposed interventions are identified. Chapter three discusses the Human...

Words: 21147 - Pages: 85

Free Essay

Madagascar: Rainforest

...Madagascar Rainforest Madagascar, located approximately 400 kilometers east of Africa is the world's fourth largest island. Because of its isolation it is occupied by some of the most unusual and rare species of plants and animals on earth. Madagascar was at one time formerly an independent kingdom; became a French colony in 1896 and regained independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held ending 17 years of single-party rule(Science 1990). The main historical problem with international trade has been the correlated destruction of the environment. This is especially true when it comes to the issue of deforestation. In Madagascar, (Economic Geography, 1993) people have been cutting down the forests for decades. Throughout the past century, much of the rainforests of Madagascar have disappeared. People have begun moving out of the cities, industries have started to expand, and the use of land for farming (particularly coffee) has dramatically increased. All of these phenomenons have led to the destruction of the forest of Madagascar. Many plants and animal species have been severely endangered due to the deforestation (New Scientist 1990). With a current population near 14 million and growing at roughly 3% yearly combined with a per capita income of $230 per year, the major threats to the remaining forest are driven by subsistence needs and cutting for fuel. This has become a major issue, not only because of the value...

Words: 3085 - Pages: 13

Premium Essay

Internationalization of Tourism Sector in Kenya

...investing in additional facilities. To achieve its goal, the Government encouraged local and foreign entrepreneurs to invest in the tourism and hospitality industries thus paving the way for the future development of the sector. In spite of increased competition from other destinations, Kenya remains one of the most popular tourist destinations in Africa. Tourism in Kenya is mainly based on natural attractions, which include wildlife in its natural habitats as well as beautiful beaches amongst other physical features. Approximately 10% of the country has been set aside for conservation of wildlife and biodiversity. Game viewing is a very popular pursuit since most tourists are predominantly interested in seeing "the big five" namely the Elephant, Rhino, Lion, Buffalo, and the Leopard, not to mention other lesser and unique game the Africa's savanna and forests offer. The Western...

Words: 3730 - Pages: 15

Free Essay

RéPublique DéMocratique Du Congo

...UNIVERSIDAD AUTÓNOMA DE NUEVO LEÓN FACULTAD DE CONTADURÍA PÚBLICA Y ADMINISTRACIÓN INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS PROGRAM International Trade Law: Investigation on Democratic Republic of Congo, Treaties with Mexico and Purchase Contract with a DRC vendor. Student: I.D.: Luz Amairany Garduño Gutiérrez 1580590 Group: 4Di Semester: 4th Classroom: 18 Student: I.D.: Luz Amairany Garduño Gutiérrez 1580590 Group: 4Di Semester: 4th Classroom: 18 Professor: Victor Hugo Moreno San Nicolas de los Garza, Ciudad Universitaria, May 17th 2015 INDEX Introduction………………………………………………………………………….2 LESCANT……………………………………………………………………………3 Treaties………………………………………………………………………………9 Contract of Purchase………………………………………………………………10 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….15 References………………………………………………………………………….16 Introduction Since the beginning of time people have searched for communicate for others, for don’t being on their own. When communication started to fluctuate humans discovered that they had needs and in some cases they had to give in order to receive other thing. Trade started and with the time society established...

Words: 4239 - Pages: 17

Free Essay

Environmental Studies

...author and editor – Erach Bharucha Unit 1 – Erach Bharucha Unit 2 – Erach Bharucha, Behafrid Patel Unit 3 – Erach Bharucha Unit 4 – Erach Bharucha Unit 5 – Shamita Kumar Unit 6 – Erach Bharucha, Shalini Nair, Behafrid Patel Unit 7 – Erach Bharucha, Shalini Nair, Behafrid Patel Unit 8 – Erach Bharucha, Shambhvi Joshi Case Studies – Prasanna Kolte Co-ordination and compilation – Behafrid Patel Textbook Design – Narendra Kulkarni (Mudra), Sushma Durve Manuscript review and editing – Chinmaya Dunster, Behafrid Patel Artists – Sushma Durve and Anagha Deshpande CD ROM – Jaya Rai and Prasanna Kolte © Copyright Text – Erach Bharucha/ UGC, 2004. Photographs – Erach Bharucha Drawings – Bharati Vidyapeeth Institute of Environment Education and Research All rights reserved. Distributed by University Grants Commission, New Delhi. 2004. ii Environmental Studies for Undergraduate Courses Preliminary Pages.p65 2 4/9/2004, 5:06 PM Vision The importance of Environmental Studies cannot be disputed. The need for sustainable development is a key to the future of mankind. The degradation of our environment is linked to continuing problems of pollution, loss of forest, solid waste disposal, issues related to economic productivity and national as well as ecological security. The increasing levels of global warming, the depletion of the ozone layer and a serious loss of biodiversity have also made everyone aware of growing environmental concerns. The United Nations Conference on...

Words: 125061 - Pages: 501

Free Essay

Environmental Law

...Coastal Resources Management, Policy and Planning In Bangladesh Md. Masudur Rahman, Zubair Ahmed Chowdhury and Md. Nasir Uddin Sada Department of Fisheries Bangladesh Rahman M.M, Z.A Chowdhury and M.N.U Sada. 2003. Coastal resources management, policy and planning in Bangladesh, p. 689 - 756. In G. Silvestre, L. Garces, I. Stobutzki, M. Ahmed, R.A. Valmonte-Santos, C. Luna, L. Lachica-Aliño, P. Munro, V. Christensen and D. Pauly (eds.) Assessment, Management and Future Directions for Coastal Fisheries in Asian Countries. WorldFish Center Conference Proceeding 67, 1 120 p. Abstract This paper reviews the coastal fishery resources of Bangladesh emphasizing the coastal environment, capture fisheries and management issues relative to the sector. Bangladesh’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) covers an area of about 166 000 km2. This area has abundant natural resources such as fish, shrimps, crabs and other marine products. Shrimp and fish trawling is the most important economic activity in this area. The fishery sector makes a significant contribution to the national economy in terms of foreign exchange, income generation and employment. It is very important in nutrition, especially in providing animal protein. In 1997 - 99, the marine fisheries sector contributed 22% of the total fishery production of 1 373 000 t. However, the resources are being destroyed in many ways. The fisheries resources have declined and fishers are getting poorer. The decline is partly due to estuarine...

Words: 38220 - Pages: 153