Poaching in Northern Africa

       Poaching happens all over the world. Even here in America, where there are paid professionals and state agencies whose jobs are to stop this criminal act, it still happens. This article, retrieved from the CNN foreign news website, talks about the increase in the number of poachers and the effect it has had on the African elephant population in Cameroon. In the article it explains how elephant tusks have become a hot commodity in Asian countries as well as how poachers have evolved over the last decade; making them more efficient and deadly.

     It was very interesting to me to read about poachers in Africa; how my original thoughts about this activity were very wrong. Before reading this article I didn’t think poaching was anything more than one or two people going into a forest, out of season, and shooting a deer or any other game animal. However, in Africa, this happens in large operations of people with highly complex strategies and fully automatic weapons.

     

     One startling fact that I overcame while reading this article was that in China there is a well established ivory market. China’s government claims that this market is well regulated which I find a bit odd since it is highly illegal to hunt African elephants around the world. One thing that I did find while reading about this topic was that there are, what seems to be minor, things happening to end this problem. One of the things I thought was very strange was the creation of posters to inform natives about this problem. But honestly, how much will a poster do to stop poachers?

           

       I feel as if something more impactful needs to be done to set an example. I understand that to fully stop poaching would take thousands of dollars and complete governmental cooperation between nations. It is sickening to think about hundreds of elephants getting pumped full of lead just for there ivory tusks. One thing I can see that may be a useful way to decrease the number poached elephants is to eliminate the ivory markets in Asian countries. Also, a more logical approach that could have an impact to slow the ivory trade would be to enforce greater restrictions on ivory imports and exports. I understand this is an absurd thought, but by eliminating the ivory market or reducing the cost of ivory it would take the money incentive out of poaching African elephants.

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