Wildlife Management in Africa
In the past three decades, many of Africa's wild animals have suffered a massive decline in population due to poaching. Africa is the world's second largest continent and home to thousands of species of animals. Unlike in North America, most of these animals roam completely free in an almost totally undeveloped environment. In attempt to save these animals from possible extinction, anti-poaching laws have been enacted by governments throughout Africa, as well as an international ban on ivory trade. Anti-poaching regulations have in turn stemmed the formation of programs and policies for the management of Africa's wildlife.Poaching, the illegal killing of protected animals, occurs in Africa for a variety of reasons. The most profitable reason is the ivory trade. Hundreds of elephants and Rhinos are slaughtered every year for their ivory tusks, which claim a sizeable profit on the black market. Many hunters also poach for the sport of it, the thrill of the hunt. Many of the country's native peoples, however, poach animals as a means to stay alive. Because the wildlife of Africa roams so free, many people and crops are damaged and destroyed every year and natives poach
To alleviate this suffering, some people turn to poaching animals either for their ivory or for meat to sell at market. On the other side, farming and ranching have had a dramatic impact on Africa's wildlife. Kenya has similar policies in their game parks, in retaliation to the poachers "poaching" park rangers (Hogan, 13). However, farmers explain that elephants, with their great intelligence, quickly learn that they will not be harmed by these methods and often return to eat the crops (Butler, Mar1995; 40). Often times, their only source of income is farming or ranching on mediocre lands. This involved mainly valuing the direct use of the wildlife for commercial uses that could take place on public, private, and communal lands. It is common practice to cull animal populations when they exceed a sustainable number. "The Wildlife trade: Poacher or Gamekeeper?" The Unesco Courier.
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