Years ago, people used to depend on nature very much. They had to hunt so as to survive. They needed various things from animals such as leather to make dressings, energy as well as vitamins. However, hunting is no longer needed today. People can be blamed for many terrible things that happened to animals. Humans should stop illegal hunting as it is very cruel and also save nature and the environment. 

Illegal hunting is a cruel criminal activity that needs to be stopped because animals just like people are living beings that deserve to live peacefully. However, this is not the case because some animals are on the verge of extinction due to illegal hunting. It is sad when an animal is killed by another animal for food or due to other reasons. However, it is more heartbreaking when the animals are killed by illegal hunters. Animals killing each other can lead to balance in the ecosystem. On the other hand, poaching leads to an imbalance in the ecosystem. It is also very disturbing to watch a species of an animal becoming extinct. Illegal hunting is, therefore, unnatural, barbaric act that needs to be stopped so that animals can live peacefully. 

Wildlife trafficking is a huge global business. It has become a global problem with the trade of illegal hunting being among the biggest illegal markets. Species that are protected are the major targets because of their valuable parts. They are either killed or sold live making them very endangered. It is estimated that about $10 billion is earned by smugglers annually. This means that about $19 000 is traded every minute. The figures clearly show how big the business is. In fact, organized criminals have shifted to this trade because huge profits are made. This makes it difficult to stop the trade since it is controlled by organized criminals. The market comes third after drug and weapons trade. There are organized cartels in this business with the internet being the main market for the trade. The internet is blamed for accelerating the trade. An example is then a certain website offered more than $60 000 for a chimpanzee that was alive. This is an a lot of money that is very tempting and can attract many people into the business. Efforts should, therefore, be made to stop this business and save the lives of animals and save nature in the process. 

It would be reasonable if animals are used for legitimate needs such as food and clothing. However, illegal hunting entails business and sport. People are in business either as a sport or to make money. This makes training of guards and sending them to protect wildlife very urgently. Some animals are becoming extinct for instance Africa’s western black rhino which became completely extinct in 201 November. The numbers of tigers have decreased from more than 100 000 to 3200 in less than a century. If this is not watched, they might continue decreasing until they also become extinct just like the Africa’s western black rhino. It is unnecessary to start panicking when the species become extinct, yet nothing was done to stop their illegal killing. Nobody kills tigers for food. The obvious reason is that they are killed for trading their parts. Measures, therefore, need to be put in place to stop this through joint efforts between the government and the people living near areas where such animals are found.

Some people get involved in illegal hunting as a sport. This leads to the death of very many precious wild animals. The major issue is that the local community receives very little benefits from wildlife existence. They therefore are not concerned even when poaching is carried out. The solution is to offer them part of the money raised from tourism even if not directly for instance through projects that benefit them. Once they see the benefits arising from the existence of the wildlife, they will be motivated to take it as part of their responsibility to protect them. They will do so because they know that once they wildlife become extinct, even the benefits they used to receive will disappear. The government can also invest in rangers to protect the wildlife. This has been proved to have benefits, for instance, there are 200 Rangers in Huai Kha Khaeng reserve with every ranger receiving approximately $5000. The salaries are paid by the government which works in conjunction with the wildlife conservation society that gives training and equipment. This is clear evidence that investment in protecting the wildlife is not expensive and it has good benefits. 

Illegal hunting mostly entails killing of the species that are endangered. The poachers don’t care about these animals because their main concern is money. To them, the value or the benefits of such animals to the environment is not important. Catching such poachers is not an easy task. It requires expertise. Although law enforcers and other government officials might be trained on how to detect ills such as counterfeiting or drug trafficking, it is very difficult for them to distinguish animal parts. This is left to university graduates who are unlikely to do it. This means that law enforcers are the only people who can stop this vice. They can do this through relating well with local communities who live near the wildlife. When working closely with them, it will be easy to get information on who does the poaching and when it is done. Those involved in that business will eventually then be caught.

The main concern about illegal hunting is reducing the number of animals that live in the wild. For some of the species, it is very difficult to recover them. Some become completely extinct. Poaching might appear as fun, and some people might even pay huge amounts of money to participate in it. However, the consequence is that it becomes impossible to see such huge numbers of wild animals in their natural habitat. This scraps the benefits associated with such animals such as tourist attraction that bring foreign exchange in the country. Some animals are hunted for sports and recreation such as deer, duck, and quails. This is very unethical since the animals have a right to live peacefully. Some animal species might also become extinct. Fashion and decoration are another drivers for illegal hunting. Bell & Arndt state that some animals are killed for jewelry and decorations. Illegal hunting for sport and recreation cannot be justified and should be stopped immediately. 

Illegal hunting must be stopped as soon as possible. Some people participate in it for sports, recreation, fashion and decoration. This is a global problem that can only be fought when united worldwide. The market for these products should be closed and strict measures taken against those caught in it. Fining culprits found I the business is not enough since it is evident that it involves huge amounts of money that they can easily afford. It is clear that no reason can be justified for illegal hunting and it should, therefore, be abolished completely.

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