Blog 4: Poaching

Summary:
The estimated number of poached rhinos in Kenya doubled last year from 30 in 2012 to 59 in 2013, with less than 1,500 left to go. Despite more legislation to deal with poachers, poaching has steadily risen in Africa over the last decade, with many of the killings taking place in heavily guarded areas. The article reports some brighter news for the elephant population of Kenya, with poaching down by about one-fifth. Kenyan Wildlife Service spokesman Paul Mbugua has noticed that the poachers seem even more brazen and confident than before, as the illegal wildlife trade is still booming in Asia.

Analysis:
The dialogue of the poaching conversation needs to be changed dramatically. When most of us hear tragic and disgusting news like this, we talk about what punishments we'd dish out to the poachers if we caught them. The idea of an animal losing its life for no good reason is too much for our inner-child to bear, especially an animal as beautiful as the mighty rhinoceros. As children, it seems that most of us connect with other species fairly easily and frequently. So, if that's true for most of us, then why should we not question the root causes of poaching? Fining and jailing the poachers themselves would only make poaching more profitable. Police could conduct raids and random searches, but do people really want the police to have more reasons to harass them? Poaching happens because people are poor. They need a way to support themselves in the global capitalist model. We are able to live comfortably because slaves make what we consume somewhere thousands of miles away, completely hidden to the average American's conscience. Are the poachers really so different? If the country you live in doesn't have a Wall Street, you take your risks with your life and the lives of others in hopes of a large return. The commodification of animals, just like land and people, is wrong and we need to take the power away from the mechanisms in place that cause it.

Link: 
 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/27/rhino-poaching-kenya-2013_n_4868665.html?utm_hp_ref=green