Poaching: The Art of Destruction

When the American Bald Eagle was announced as an endangered species, I remember being in school and contemplating the world without them. As a child I was always taught that animals were just as deserving to live and be apart of this planet as we were; I knew that the eagle being endangered wasn’t right. Today more than ever the illegal poaching of endangered species has become an issue that needs constant scrutiny, and animals like the Camel, Dolphin, and common Chimpanzee are now on the Endangered Species list because of these illegal killings. But what many people can’t see is just how important these animals are to our Ecosystems. The near extinction of these animals (and many others) has created a drastic shift in the planets Biodiversity; ignorance is just no longer acceptable.
The illegal poaching of endangered animals is a great controversy that is not easily resolvable. In addition, many other national governments are not enforcing the illegality of poaching and in turn do not assist in the advocacy of the conservation of animals. For instance when we compare the United States’ work with endangered species to a country like Uganda, Africa the differences are evident. The United States enacted the Endangered Species Act back in 1973 in order to protect American animals like the black-footed ferret, and the north pacific right whale. This act not only protects these species but persecutes the poachers who kill, or attempt to kill them. This law clearly exemplifies the United States’ willingness to conserve our animals, and biodiversity. But many people question the need for biodiversity. Amongst the obvious environmental need for biodiversity, as species we mutually benefit from one another. For instance back in the 1930’s there was a dramatic slaughtering of prairie dogs in the West. The prairie dogs were overwhelmingly eating the crops of the farmers which ignited a furious campaign against the species. To the west prairie dogs were known as pests. However what the farmers didn’t know was how helpful the prairie dogs’ underground “towns” were to the nutrition of the soil in the field. Mutualism is a very important piece of our relationship to one another, and we cannot continue to allow animals to become extinct because of our complacency. We must stand up for our fellow species, so that we may stand up for ourselves.
Cultural, religious, and economic issues are all factors that play into poaching. We must move forward keeping all of these factors in mind, knowing that not all nations will be as receptive to this message as we are. These factors however cannot stop us from fighting for these endangered species, and bringing to justice the people who break the law. Its our responsibility to protect animals like the bald eagle, and allow our children to know the species we’ve come to love and need over time.