Ivory Trade Research Paper
Andrew McClarren
Professor George
4/3/13
Ivory Trade Poachers in countries such as Tanzania, Zambia, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, and China are rapidly lowering the population of animals with tusks in Asia and Africa. Wild animals such as the greater one-horned rhinoceros, elephants, narwhals, and walruses are mercilessly hunted and killed for their horns. Governments and organizations have implemented many laws to eliminate the poaching of these animals, but with little success. Since 1997 poaching rates have risen substantially. Throughout the world it is against the law to poach any animal or trade or sell their horns. These tusks, depending on the length and weight, can make poachers extremely wealthy. Illegal trading of ivory is an epidemic …show more content…
Today it is illegal to hunt any animal that does not have a season dedicated to it. The government has to issue harsher penalties for criminals who poach animals for their tusks. Without strict consequences for breaking these laws, more people will see that the benefits outweigh the risks. Daniel Cressey explains, “International treaties meant to protect elephants are not working. Researchers estimate that tens of thousands of African elephants are now being killed by poachers each year, from a total wild population of around 400,000.” Governments need to reverse this way of thinking. The main organization dedicated to stopping the poaching of animals for their tusks is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species or CITES. Members of CITES keep track of the population of protected animals throughout the world. They also document the number of these animals killed by poachers. According to statistical analysts at CITES, “Nearly 39,000 kilograms of illegal ivory were traded worldwide in 2011,” (which amounts to over 62 million dollars). Of the 39,000 kilograms that were collected approximately 55% was tusks from elephants. CITES reports, “between 3.5% and 11.7% of the total African elephant population was killed by poachers in 2011 — the worst year for illegal killing since the program began collecting data in
Professor George
4/3/13
Ivory Trade Poachers in countries such as Tanzania, Zambia, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, and China are rapidly lowering the population of animals with tusks in Asia and Africa. Wild animals such as the greater one-horned rhinoceros, elephants, narwhals, and walruses are mercilessly hunted and killed for their horns. Governments and organizations have implemented many laws to eliminate the poaching of these animals, but with little success. Since 1997 poaching rates have risen substantially. Throughout the world it is against the law to poach any animal or trade or sell their horns. These tusks, depending on the length and weight, can make poachers extremely wealthy. Illegal trading of ivory is an epidemic …show more content…
Today it is illegal to hunt any animal that does not have a season dedicated to it. The government has to issue harsher penalties for criminals who poach animals for their tusks. Without strict consequences for breaking these laws, more people will see that the benefits outweigh the risks. Daniel Cressey explains, “International treaties meant to protect elephants are not working. Researchers estimate that tens of thousands of African elephants are now being killed by poachers each year, from a total wild population of around 400,000.” Governments need to reverse this way of thinking. The main organization dedicated to stopping the poaching of animals for their tusks is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species or CITES. Members of CITES keep track of the population of protected animals throughout the world. They also document the number of these animals killed by poachers. According to statistical analysts at CITES, “Nearly 39,000 kilograms of illegal ivory were traded worldwide in 2011,” (which amounts to over 62 million dollars). Of the 39,000 kilograms that were collected approximately 55% was tusks from elephants. CITES reports, “between 3.5% and 11.7% of the total African elephant population was killed by poachers in 2011 — the worst year for illegal killing since the program began collecting data in