Why Should Animal Poaching Be Considered a Social Injustice?

Animal Poaching does not only affect animals; it affects entire communities and can also affect the economy. Because of this, it is doubly important that humans see the error of their ways and react accordingly.

But, how are communities actually affected?

Well, this occurs on three levels:

1. Members of the communities surrounding game reserves either directly or indirectly benefit from the tourism that occurs in these regions. If the Big 5 became the Big 3 (if elephants and rhinos became extinct), there would be fewer tourists coming to South Africa and as a result fewer people from local communities would be able to be employed. These people and the South African economy would suffer.

2. Many militia groups are involved in animal poaching. These people therefore earn money when they sell rhino horns or elephant tusks; they use this money to buy ammunition which they then use to commit human rights violations (e.g. kidnappings and killings). An example of such a militia group is the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA).

3. Moreover, many Asian gangs are involved in poaching and in the ivory trade; these gangs are often also involved with human trafficking and therefore the money earned from the sale of rhino horns and elephant tusks allows them to continue violating other people’s human rights.

The Current Situation

Animal poaching is a reality that cannot be ignored.  But, many claim they simply do not know about it; so what exactly is the current situation?

Rhinoceroses are being poached for their horns which are used as body detoxifiers and a supposed cure for cancer. On top of this, rhino horns are carved into knife handles, key rings and jewellery and then these items are sold at high prices. Vietnam and China are the main consumers of rhino horn products.

Every year approximately 30 000 elephants are poached for their tusks. Most of these tusks are then exported to Asian countries, such as China, where they are then used to make ivory chopsticks which are sold for more than a thousand dollars.

This is what is happening; and if we do not do anything to stop it very soon we will only have the Big 3 (Lions, Leopards and Buffalos).

Everything About Elephants

Photograph from: Ben Rosenstiel and  Mason Howard

In many instances humans view animals as inferior; however, these animals, like us, also fulfil specific roles in their environment and they also have special talents. Along with this, elephants are like humans as they have a similar social organisation and they also mourn their dead. Because of this, animals (especially elephants) warrant more respect than what they are given in many instances.

So, what are these roles and special talents?

Role in the Ecosystem:

•  Droppings act as a fertilizer thus enriching the soil and distributing seeds.
•  Elephants pull down trees creating grasslands and salt licks which benefit other animals

Special talents:

• Amazing ability to memorize routes.
• Possess a special ability to sense when a natural disaster is coming.
• Gifted communicators – they communicate through stomach grumbles, trumpeting, rubbing bodies together, stiffing secretions and body postures.

Now that you know more about elephants; do you think they deserve to be poached?

All About Rhinoceroses

In order to better understand the negative effects of poaching, it is important to get to know the victims of the poaching first.

For instance there are 5 types of rhinos: the White Rhino, the Black Rhino, the Sumatran Rhino, the Javan Rhino and the Greater-One Horned Rhino. But, even though these rhinos live in completely different habitats they still play an important role in their ecosystems.

How do They Play aRole in their Ecosystem:

• Rhinoceroses are browsers and by browsing on certain plants they create the opportunity for other plants to grow.
• Their dung attracts other animals and is used by dung beetles and dung flies.
• Rhinoceroses love wallowing and by doing so they create areas where other animals can bathe, drink and breed.

The Life of An Orphan Rhino Calf

To properly understand what it’s like to be a rhino watch this video: