All poachers should be hung.
13
WWF, UNICEFF, two of my heroes, you get my money, literally.
5
We just need to make poaching a capital crime worldwide.
10
The underlying issue is not poverty, it's a total lack of population control in countries that cannot sustain that population without destroying the forests, prairies, and animals that survive in those habitats. Without population control in Africa, we are doomed to lose the magical creatures that live in Africa. The other root cause of this particular nightmare - destruction of elephants, rhinos, and tigers - is China and Vietnam. The people in those countries will pay a fortune to buy the tusks and horns for some delusional thought that it will enhance their health, youth, or both. I'm sickened by these people, but more so sickened by their governments that will never crack down on the problem. Never teach their people the crime they are supporting. While I applaud the on-going efforts and will continue to support organizations fighting for the survival of these magical creatures, I know that it is futile without other changes that fix the root cause. Boycott China and Vietnam!
23
There is some hope though. People have been saying we're overdue for a massive flu pandemic. It's probably the best chance of most large mammals to avoid extinction, if we can lose enough humans at a fast enough rate.
9
This is the decade of biological revolution. With rhino horn consisting of keratin - the same protein found in human fingernails and multiple other animal claws-why can't our scientists create genetically modified artificially grown horn powder indistinguishable from that on the rhino? Cow horn has the same material. Flood the market with indistinguishable from natural rhino horn. It works for opioids (perversely, of course). It works for designer drugs. Why should w be held hostage to Chinese superstition about rhino Viagra - give them what they want! Give them all they want. In qualtities and chemical makeup that is the real thing - no rhino attached.
26
Tell that to the chinese who are slaughtering endangered and rare species for their voodoo potions. Why doesn't anyone say anything about the anachronistic, black magic, aberrations of that culture?
12
This is terrific stuff, but of course, it doesn't go far enough. We also need to field teams to hunt poachers for real, finding them in nature preserves, shooting them, and leaving them for the animals to eat. We also need to have the death penalty as the only penalty for hunting endangered species. People must be made an example of for this destructive, pathological behavior to cease. And the world will not miss poachers.
20
The horrific cycle of unsubstantiated cultural beliefs has always taken lives. That the main destination countries, mainly Vietnam and China, still fool themselves in believing a horn or a tusk can cure them of cancer or make a male more virile is proof alone that human evolution has backtracked. And to the carvers of ivory for trinkets to be worn by the status hungry is further proof of man's ill-gotten reputation as the superior species. In our superiority, we are causing the planet upon which we live to rot under the carcasses of life taken cruelly and for no reason, breaking the chains that make this planet survivable. We are a pitiful species which knows but never learns.
15
A rhino is poached every 8 hours. poachers often do not bother with killing the animal prior to "harvesting" its horn. the economics of the demand and supply is complex and occurs on an international scale. As such, effective solution-based strategies address poaching in South Africa across national borders and on a global scale.
Conservation Beyond Borders is a non-profit which addresses tiger poaching in India and rhino poaching in Southern Africa within their global contextual market.
6
The underlying issue with poaching is not animals but money. When the people around these wildlife preserves are starving they do what they feel is their only option to survive. Instead of demonizing poachers, this is about a world order where huge swaths of poverty stricken communities are living on the edge of famine, cholera, drought, flooding and more. Areas that are war torn and in the midst of insane violence - wars fueled and agitated to fuel corporate profits - These are the issues that need to be dealt with on a global scale to stop the global destruction of my friends, my very dear friends, our wildlife. @johannaclear @nrdc @sierraclub @Peta
24
This is true, but poaching is fueled by demand. If demand evaporated, the killing would stop, and poachers would have to find another source of income. Until this aspect of the illegal market is eradicated, the massacre will continue.
11
The people are starving because they are let by corrupt governments that do not give the people the food or money sent by nations, AND because they have no population control. The population in Africa has increased 4 fold in less than 30 years!!!!
14
I’m grateful to all of those who work so hard to protect animals. Reading stories like this renews my faith in humanity. Great job.
17
This is great news in a world that has gone mad. I hope they can make a dent in the illegal poaching that is decimating such incredible animals and eventually land on the monsters that continue to buy horns and tusks.
19
Lets be frank about this issue. A lewd form of paganism is prevalent in a desire for exotic animal parts to be consumed and otherwise. Call it out for what it is.
8