Some of the most common places that have the most severe poaching problems are found in southern and central Africa. About 50% of all the poaching in the world happens in Africa; this is because most of the wildlife poachers seek are found there. At the same time, poaching is common because, in many countries in Africa, there is a lack of resources to protect wildlife.
Poaching is a serious issue that many organizations, like VETPAW, are trying to tackle. Still, it is difficult due to the scale of the problem. Here are 3 shocking facts about poaching in Africa.
Every 8 Hours A Rhino Is Gunned Down
The white rhino population found in Kruger National Park declined 42% from 2015 to 2017. In just 2017, more than 1,000 rhinos were killed. Recent statistics show that although poaching for rhinos seemed to go down to about 600 rhinos in 2019, this is still not good news overall, as poachers still managed to kill a rhino every 12 hours.
Elephants Are In Danger of Being Wiped From The Continent
The poaching rate for elephants peaked in 2011 and has seemed to decrease since then, but this is just as alarming because the numbers are lower due to the reduced amount of elephants left. It is estimated that about 10,000-15,000 elephants are killed by poachers each year. The continued demand for ivory is what most directly affects poaching rates, without stopping the demand for ivory, it will be more challenging to abolish poaching.
Poaching Finances Terrorism and Wars
In Africa, poaching as an illegal activity has more effect than many are aware of. Armed conflicts and poaching are closely intertwined in this continent. Crime networks use the money they gain from ivory poaching to fund wars and acts of terrorism.
Veterans Empowered To Protect African Wildlife
At VETPAW, a non-profit wilderness organization in Africa, veterans strive to protect and train rangers to take action against poaching. Our purpose is to protect wildlife, and we do this by training local rangers, operating in surveillance and protection, and through education and conservation. We want to ensure that the community is aware of and changes their way of thinking.
At VETPAW, we operate legally with law enforcement and African park rangers to prevent poachers from attacking.
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