Download Laws banning illegal trafficking of wildlife should be more heavily

Laws banning illegal trafficking
of wildlife should be more
heavily enforced.
By Maria Bateman
Endangered Animals
• Endangered animals
that are being poached
are quickly becoming
extinct.
• Some animals that are
being poached are
tigers, rhinoceroses,
and elephants.
Source of picture:
http://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/552-China-s-trade-in-tiger-bones&h
Direct Effects
• In a book entitled Bengal Tiger, it states,
“Poaching is one of the main reasons why
Bengal tigers are endangered.”
• There are less than sixty Javan rhinoceroses
left in the world partly due to poaching.
The Elephant Problem
• Some poachers kill
elephants to use their skin,
meat, and tusks. They use
them to make bags,
carvings, and medicine.
• Many elephants that are
hunted are grown-up bulls.
Since they are being
killed, not as many new
elephants are born, and it
affects the whole
population.
Source of pictures:
http://www.kenyatravelideas.com/african-elephants.html
http://www.trocadero.com/sindler/items/664897/item664897store.html
Other Animals Being Affected
• Not just the animal being
poached has a problem.
• If the number of predators
goes down, the number of
its prey increases, because
the predator is not there to
hunt them.
• This may seem like a
beneficial thing at first,
but it is not at all.
Source of picture:
http://www.fws.gov/sheldonhartmtn/sheldon/wildlife.html
Importance of a Predator
• In the book Food Chains
in a Forest Habitat, it
explains, “Carnivores help
keep the populations of
herbivores at a healthy
level.”
• If the population of
herbivores got out of
hand, the food would run
out in their environment.
• Then the population
would decrease by a large
amount.
Source of picture:
http://thewildsource.com/african-safari-predators.aspx
Problems With Catching
Poachers
• Poachers use powerful
weapons and devices.
• There are sometimes
not enough people
helping to stop the
poachers.
• Some countries do not
have the means to
effectively stop illegal
trafficking of wildlife.
Source of picture:
http://www.pbase.com/broneal/image/61131451
Need for More Enforcement
• In his article, Michael Lemonick said,
“Plenty of laws and international agreements
forbid such trade, but enforcement ranges
from spotty to nonexistent.”
• In Bengal Tiger, it says, “The poachers need
the money, so they are prepared to risk the
punishment of being fined and jailed.”
• If enforcement were stronger, people would
be less inclined to make that sort of risk.
Argument
• Some people may say that we should pay
attention to things that are more important
and pressing.
• However, enforcing laws against illegal
wildlife trafficking is very important. If
someone is killing animals illegally, they
may start participating in other serious
crimes.
• It is better to catch them before they do
something else.
Conclusion
In conclusion, more enforcement should be carried
out in order to support the laws banning illegal
trafficking of wildlife. Whole species need our
help, and the people who are doing wrong need to
be punished.
Source of picture:
http://www.capitanhipower.com/Design/RIFLES.htm