Illegal hunting and trade of animals
Introduction
Hunting of wild animals is not actually a recent issue considering the long time that this act has been going on for a long time in the history of man. Since the early periods before modernization, there is still documentation and evidence of hunting of the wild animals especially the rare ones. At that time, this was not actually a problem since the ecosystem could easily maintain the situation. Hunting was on the rise yet there were still more of these animals out there in the wilderness. However, the situation has been changing directly in the recent historical periods more so in the last few years. The demand for the products of the rare animals seems to be on the rise each day. The main challenge is the inability of the ecosystem to balance and produce the animals that it could back in the day. The increase in demand and the limited supply has doomed some of these animals to extinction, and even the remaining ones are left in the endangered animals’ zone. Instead of letting the situation run out of control, it is imperative that there is setting of control measures in the sector. As much as there are many advantages that are attributable and that can actually be obtained from the hunting of some wild animals for their products, it is crucial that there is a check on the process, as it may lead to extinction and lack of these animals altogether.
Types of rare animals on the verge of extinction because of overhunting
There are many animals that people have taken into hunting in the recent years. This is normally all dependent on the main reason for the initial hunting of the animals. When humans go out in the fields to hunt the animals, most of them are already decided on the type of animal that they will be taking down. Therefore, many types of these animals that are hunted are highly dependent on their potential use. In history, most of the animals that humans have taken a keen interest in when hunting were those that are a source of food. However, due to the increase in other needs, this has changed drastically and there are many other reasons to hunt. Resultantly, this has led to hunting of more types of animals than before.
Chimpanzees and gorillas- these unsurprisingly happen to be some of the most sought after animals by tourists. This is especially the case for those who visit Africa for the purposes of tourism. However, these animals also happen to be in demand in Africa for other reasons too. Thus, there has been a drastic reduction in their numbers as more people continue to hunt for the animals. This is evidenced by recent reports that claim that these two types of animals are heading towards extinction.
Chinook salmon- While most people may not be familiar with this term, this has not stopped the humans from overhunting these animals. They are normally referred to as sea lions and are primarily found in the Pacific (Stromberg, 2). . As much as natural disasters have found their way into the decline of these animals, most of the blame still falls to the humans for overhunting.
Bluefin tuna- This type of fish is mainly found in Asian countries and particularly in Japan. This is mainly because the fish is part of the delicacies in most of the Japanese tables. In spite of the well documented fact of the reduction in numbers for the animal, there are still high cases of overfishing that may result to extinction in the near future (Stromberg, 2). .
Caribou- These are animals that have a close relation to the antelope family. They are mostly found in North America, and in spite of protection that the government awards them, there are still cases of overhunting. In fact, there are reports that claim there is a community in Canada that prefers to kill these animals in herds and not individually (Marc, 148).
African forest elephant- While most of the people will agree that the main reason for hunting this animal is the ivory, it is undeniable that there are other reasons. This animal has the ability to offer at least 1000 pounds of meat to the poacher. Therefore, one kill of an elephant is likely to offer enormous benefits to the hunter and thus increasing demand for overhunting (Pilgram & Western, 509).
Sharks- This is also one of the animals that more often than not tops the lists of the endangered marine life. The problem lies in that whenever the poacher hunts the animals, they only do it in search of a small specific quantity of the whole mass. In most cases, the fishers hunt the sharks and just take off their fins while tossing the rest of the animal to the sea (Stromberg, 2). .
River dolphins- These are also referred to as freshwater dolphins. They are mainly found in India and are naturally in low numbers. This coupled with the high cases of fishing for the animals has led to the drastic reduction of the animals.
Green sea turtles- The hunting of this animal called for the government of the US to call for the immediate enforcement of a regulation against this vice. The main reasons for hunting these animals are their shells and leather. Moreover, these animals also have flesh and fat that is highly in demand. As much as there are regulations against the hunting of these animals, there are still high cases of hunting in Asia.
There are many other animals that are facing extinction as a result of hunting from humans. These include the hispid hare, Iberian Lynx, Dwarf water buffalo and the Dwarf Blue sheep. Also, there are high cases of overhunting for the Javan rhinoceros, Red wolf, fishing cat and the white tiger (Stromberg, 2).
Ways in which humans make profits from hunting these animals
There are many reasons that many can hunters can use as a justification of their actions. Some of them claim that it is part of their traditions while others will use the animals for religious activities. However, most of the reasons that lead people to hunt the animals are all economic. Some of the species in the habitats have high value from their products. Furthermore, the fact that they are endangered means that they are less available thus increasing demand of the products.
a). Hunting for food.
It is a well known fact that some of the best delicacies to come from animals are not actually from the domestic animals that many keep in their households. Most of the delicacies that humans have come from wild and marine animals. Since these foods are not readily available to many people, the restaurants make a kill literally by selling the delicacies at large profits. An example is the marine life especially around Japan. In this country, there is high demand for the bluefish tuna. This fish is the main ingredient in the local delicacy known as sushi. Since a majority of the population in the country is fond of the food and claim that it is part of their history and culture, there is a huge demand for animal. This has led to overfishing of the bluefish tuna in most of the localities in Japan and led to an even higher demand. The overfishing has gone on for long despite calls from many quarters asking for sanctions (Lin, 199). If not controlled, it is likely that this animal will be extinct just within a few years. Another delicacy in this area is the green sea turtle. The uses that the products of the animal give are extremely beneficial to the locals mainly in Japan. As mentioned earlier, the animal has economic benefits ranging from fat to flesh. This has led the animal to being declared endangered in the Asian counties.
The fish have also been victims of hunting from humans who undertake in overfishing. Such cases have been reported in fresh water areas and an example of a fish which is likely to be extinct in the near future is the river dolphin. In India, there are many cases of overfishing for this breed that has led to it becoming endangered and close to extinction. Apart from the marine life, wildlife is also another source of food for the hunters. A compelling example is the African elephant which is mainly found in Africa. In the continent, it is common for the locals to have limited food resources thus leading to a search of the food elsewhere. This type of elephant has the ability to provide at least 1000kg of meat at a go (Pilgram & Western, 509). The poachers then take this meat to the local hotels and sell it in the disguise of tame meat thus making a massive profit. Many of the breeds of the antelopes are also constantly under danger from human poachers. An example is the caribou of North America. There are many cases of mass hunting of the animal for the purposes of meat and sale. This has led to a sharp decline in the numbers of the animals in the area especially in Canada. Through excessive hunting for the purposes of food, there has been a serious decline in some breeds of the animals that is likely to lead to extinction within a few years.
b). Medicine.
In this instance, it is best to look at each endangered animal and the medicine that they are believed to produce. The rhinoceros is one of the animals that have been facing extinction for a long time now. In the early years, the Chinese were notorious for using the horn of the animal in making some of their medicines. However, concerns of possible extinction led the government into declaring hunting of the animal as illegal. However, the hunting has just been revitalized a few years ago when there were rumors that the rhino horn had helped in the manufacturing of medicine that was the cure for liver cancer (Ellis, 234). The water buffalo is another animal that is quickly becoming endangered in the world. This is because some of the people manufacturing medicines believe that the horn of the animal can be used as a substitute for the rhino horn (OECD, 152). This is especially the case after there was total banning of hunting of the rhinos. In China, the Chinese alligator is used for the purposes of curing colds. There are also beliefs that the animal’s meat is vital in the prevention of cancer. Moreover, the locals use some organs for the animals for other medicinal values.
In some areas, the foot of the Asian elephant is used in the manufacturing of medicine to cure hernia. This has led to hunting of the animal for the medicine thus reducing their numbers drastically. There are also medicines from animals that cure burns and asthma. The sun bear is hunted and killed since there are perceptions that its gall bladder cures these two diseases. Moreover, the same gall bladder is utilized in the manufacture of a drug that cures cancer (OECD, 152). In spite of hunting for the animal being declared as illegal, there are still cases of hunting for the animal for its medicinal use. The musk deer is another animal that is killed mainly for the ability of its musk producing medicine that can cure cardiac, respiratory and circulatory problems. Such is the value of this medicine that the manufacturers pay the hunters around $200 per gland. In spite of the many laws that have been enforced for the purpose of controlling illegal hunting, most of the hunters value the medicinal value of these animals and are willing to take the risk (Ellis, 236) .
c). Luxuries
There are also cases of hunting for animals for the production of other products that are considered luxuries. An example is fur which is mainly gotten from grizzly animals. Fur coats use a lot of fur from the animals, and it takes about 11 foxes. For the same coat, it would take at least nine beavers or an equivalent of 27 raccoons for the same coat (Leisure, 246). Thus, the manufacturing of these coats takes many animals thus leading to endangering. Leather from reptiles like crocodiles and alligators is considered as a luxury and expensive. This high demand for the leather leads to illegal overhunting of the crocodiles. Ivory is another luxurious commodity that has been in demand for the recent years thus leading to endangering of the elephants. Finally, there is rampant hunting of animals whose skins and hides are considered as valuable especially the cheetahs and leopards (Leisure, 246).
Demand and trade of the products
There are reported cases of trading in wild animals in all the continents. However, majority of the illegal trade in animals is in Asia. The main demand for the animals is for manufacturers of traditional medicine who use most of the wild animals for various medicinal uses. Furthermore, the demand is driven by the belief that some of the products are symbols of wealth. China is the leader in importing of wildlife products worldwide. Some of the products that the country imports majorly are ivory and tiger skins (Moltke & Frank, 18). Some of these products come from India which is the main source of products such as musk deers and snow leopards. Thailand is only second to China in this trade. The main challenge in ending it in Thailand as compared to other countries is the fact that they are sold in the open markets for the country. However, there are rules that prohibit such trade and could possibly lead to punishment from the government. Thailand is one of the biggest destinations for ivory in spite of the trade being banned amongst the locals (Lin, 199). In the Thai gulf, there are at least 5 species of turtles. In some of the markets in the capital, some of the jewellery from the turtles is sold and displayed freely. Furthermore, these turtles and tortoises are also sold in the open markets alive as pets. Thus, the ready market leads to high demand for the products and thus consequently leading to increase in illegal tradeoff the animals in Asia (Moltke & Frank, 18).
The second continent in illegal wildlife trading is North America. The US is especially notorious for this even though most of them demand the animals as pets. Apart from pets, there is a huge demand for bush meat especially from Africa. Therefore, demand for the animals in the US is both for the live animals and also that are already dead and for products alone. In South America, there are also cases of illegal wildlife trading in open markets. In these markets, animals like walking catfish and peccaries lead in demand. The main challenge in this area is the mode of killing the animals while capturing the live ones. On most cases, this involves shooting the mothers of the animals and then capturing the young ones. Thus, it is likely that there is a possibility of both dying in the process. In Arabia, most of the demand is for the skins. This is the reason as to why most of the trade involves tigers, reptiles and pythons. However, there are also many cases of smuggling of birds in the country. In spite of the trade being illegal in most countries, the trade is still rampant especially in the UAE (Marcus, 318). In the recent past, there have been cases of trading monkeys in the continent especially in Pakistani. Unlike other countries, there is little disguise in smuggling of the animals and their products into this continent. Thus, most of the trade is done in an open manner (Wyler et al, 34).
Europe is another diverse market for various activities of illegal wildlife trading. The trade is so vast that the estimations of the trafficking are approximately $32 billion annually (Wyatt, 149). This is because even if the area may not have the adequate resources; there is a huge market for the products amongst the EU members. Unlike Arabia, the trade is supremely organized and is mostly led by organized gangs. Some of the transport methods involve sending the products through carriers and other courier services. Some of the gangs that are involved in the illegal trade in Europe are surprisingly from other continents. An example is some Chinese gangs that control the trade even when in areas as far as Hong Kong. Some of the traditional medicines from China are also in high demand in the EU market (Wyatt, 145). The trade has become extremely popular in the market thus leading even some of the gangs that involve themselves in drug trafficking to the trade. This means that some of the methods that the drug traffickers use have now been modified for this trade. In the illegal wildlife trade, Africa acts as a supplier more than a demanding block. Thus, most of products like bush meat and ivory have their source as Africa and their destinations as mainly US and the EU.
Controlling illegal wildlife trade
The hunting of animals illegally is on the increase. Projections show that it is likely that some of the animals will become extinct in the next few years. Therefore, there is dire need of some measures to control the situation and keep the animals from decreasing to such an extent. For one, there should be an introduction of strict regulations that will inhibit the trade. These laws should deal with both the hunting and trading of the animals. This means that anyone found with the intention of hunting wildlife illegally should be liable to charges in a court of law. Also, individuals found in the possession of the illegal commodities should also be liable to the laws. Currently, most of the regulations only focus on the illegal smuggling and not the hunting, which does not solve the problem entirely. Thus, the international bodies like the UN and the EU should be exceedingly strict with the laws and compel the governments of their member countries to do the same.
Apart from the laws, everyone has a role to protect animals. Thus, there should be individual measures that will compel many to avoid the illegal wildlife trade. This involves the searching of alternatives for the various needs like the luxuries. For those people who use fur from the animals, there should be understanding that there are better alternatives for them. Aesthetic products like ivory and teeth from animals have alternatives that people can readily use and thus avoid the hunting of animals for these purposes. In comparison to the traditional medicine, there are better manufactured alternatives. In fact, some of the beliefs that the medicines from these animals cures, is just a myth. Individuals should consult health practitioners who have better alternatives than the traditional medicines. This will lead to a significant decrease in the number of rare animals killed for this purpose. Finally, it is the duty of each individual to take care of the environment including the animals. If each individual reports such cases of hunting and then avoids hunting, the number of the rare animals will increase and save some of the species in danger.
Conclusively, there are immense ramifications that result from illegal hunting of animals. It is this hunting that has led to some of the animals becoming endangered with a huge chance of becoming endangered in the near future. These vary from the marine animals like the green turtle which is estimated to last only a few more years, to the African elephant hunted for its ivory and meat. As much as some of the reasons for the hunting may seem valid, it is imperative that there is controlling of the area because of the danger it poses. In the next few years, there may be a limited number of animals that were once the source of joy for many especially the tourists. If the hunting is not stopped, then there will be no fish in the running waters and no more game in the wilderness. Thus, it is imperative that humans stop the illegal hunting and trade of animals, as doing so is just a recipe for disaster in the near future.
References
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