Poaching and Endangered Animals Claudia Mongeau, Angela Rosica & Simon Conrad

What is poaching?• Poaching is the illegal taking of wildlife and violating laws in the area

by doing so• Started in the 1700's in Europe• 1918 Lacey act prevented interstate poaching trade in the U.S• 1960: C. I.T.E.S (Convention on International Trade in Endangered

Species) is formed to conserve wildlife• In 1973- the Endangered Species Act is passed, promoting the

conservation of extinct animals• In 1989 the Global Ivory ban is passed in hopes to save the tusks on

elephants

Two African boys

holding the horn of

an elephant that was

just killed.

African endangered speciesLEFT: African Black Rhino (2,500 left)

LEFT: African White Rhino (20,000 left)

ABOVE: African elephant (470,000

left)Africa's threatened

animals

Why are these animals important?• Elephants considered the 'keystone species in African landscape'• Elephants shape the landscape naturally• They can create more waterholes/ sources for animals and humans

can use• Their manure is good for fertilizer• Rhinos and Elephants both attract many tourists• Rhinos are "mega herbivores" they eat lots of grass, which can shape

the landscape as well

Why kill them?Who is killing/selling them?• Generally the poorer community

kills and sells the tusks/horns of these animals

• One pound of ivory can cost 1,500$ on the black market, while one tusk can weigh 250 pounds

Why? For what?• Over all both animals are killed for

their horns• In some countries, like Vietnam,

owning an ivory horn is a sign of wealth

• Used for piano tiles, decoration, jewelry, pool balls and sculptures

• Used for medicine in some parts of Asia

(LEFT)Ivory can be used as a form of

decoration, by carving into it

(ABOVE) Ivory piano keys were very

common until made illegal

(LEFT) Piles of ivory, being cleaned for

selling

The major effects of poaching in Africa• Massive population

decrease• Decrease in the

tourism business• The extinction of a

key species will cause a major unbalanced ecosystem in Africa

What is being done to prevent poaching/extinction?• The South African Dept. Of Environmental Affairs has placed stricter

regulations on the rhino horn.• China's Chief Executive, Mr. Leung making efforts to ban the import

and export of ivory• Ad campaigns and political cartoons (seen below)• Injecting dye into the tusks and horns of these animals is helping

increase the population• Using drones to keep watch of the animals

Dye injected into rhino and elephant horns to prevent poaching - Barcroft TV

Drones used to prevent rhino poaching- NBC News

Current Rhino Statistics from SaveTheRhino