Wildlife Trafficking Primate Ecology and Conservation

Question: Discuss about the Wildlife Trafficking for Primate Ecology and Conservation. Answer: Introduction: In the current world we live in, business has had a major impact on peoples lives as well as improving the countrys economy. This is not the case as people try and misinterpret and go to a point of doing illegal business. Wildlife trafficking, being amongst the most illegal practiced trade is evident to generate a lot of income; however, it has its disadvantages too. Wildlife trade is defined as the buying and selling of products that are extracted from non-domesticated animals or plants from their original natural environment (Peyton, 2009). This essay will provide clear information about how the wildlife is subject to hazardous substances that also affect the whole nation. It will contain information and concerns that should be taken in order to protect the wildlife creatures and their habitants or to minimize the negative effects this kind of trade activity brings about (Wyatt, 2013). The products can involve dead or living body parts such as bones, skins, horns or even meat. This kind of business is both illegal and legal. Talking of legality, it is regulated by the United Nations Convection on International trade in Endangered Species of wild Fauna and Flora (CITIES). Compared to selling of drugs and weapons, illegal wildlife trading is considered as one of the major illegal economic activities carried out. According to research carried out by CITIES, it is recorded that every fifteen minutes one wild animal is killed because of its skin, horns and tusks. One of the animals that is majorly focused on is the elephant. Nearly 100- 200 elephants are recorded to have been killed in a day, totaling up to 40,000 elephants in the whole year (Eleanor, 2013). It is a challenge in the environment we are currently in as a continuous practice of this act could make the species extinct. Through both the local and the international market, there has been an issue of high levels of wildlife trade, which has been a challenge as it has been affected by the long history on wildlife interventions. The main factor that keeps the poachers going is the profits they get from selling the skins and tusks. (Sara, 2014). Other reasons for practicing poaching is to gain clothes and food. Not all animals get poached because of their horns, some get killed because of their skin which is used as clothing such as handbags and shoes or even ornaments by human beings as other engage in poaching for food. Wildlife is a general term that is used by all users of wildlife products. Their uses include practicing of traditional rituals or religious uses, bush meat as a source of food and as a form of trade. Wildlife use is usually related to hunting and poaching. Wildlife trade can be categorized into two that is legal and illegal trade, and both can have local or international markets. However, there might be often relation between the two trades. Often, the trade includes the trade of living individuals of wildlife species for zoological institutions. These individuals are sometimes considered as semi- domesticated or bred during the captivity for the purpose of trade. Wildlife trade has a wide range of negative side-effects (Daan, 2016). These negative effects affect both the environment, population and the local surrounding community. We are currently living in a timeline where our ecosystem is depreciating (David, 2012). Due to its sensitivity, it is our priority to preserve the wild animals and ensure they are secure. Poaching is also known as stealing and or killing of animals for their products illegally. It is dangerous to the environment as it can lead to the endangerment of different species available in the environment. The survival of species located at a specific environment, depends on the environmental ecosystem, health and balance. One of the greatest fears and threat to wildlife animals is extinction of species. An example of an endangered wildlife is rhino and elephants. A type of rhinos that is extinct is the black rhinoceros (Gary, 2016). With the remaining subspecies of the black rhino are highly endangered as they are believed to carry healing properties in their horns. The death of these animals through poaching will make these species extinct and as with their healing properties the government will be forced to look for different sources for the healing properties. Poaching is harsher than other jobs available, a reality that is faced by many communities and the government (Martin, 2013). According to research by Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKE) And Elephant Trade Information System (ETIS), the elephant population is being lost to the poaching crisis especially for the ivory. This therefore reduces the number of elephants and thus challenging tourism directly. Furthermore, the study by ETIS says revenue lost is much higher than paying for the anti-poaching measures. The study looked at the tourists and elephants data in several countries and concluded that there were losses financially due to less tourists in protected areas because of illegal wildlife trade. In summary, poaching is an activity that has to end otherwise the animals will become extinct. Various organizations and the government have rules are set to deal with poachers, but this move does not seem to be enough. Poachers should be punished by law with a very harsh and even a higher fine and penalty. Although this has been implemented in many countries poaching is still happening and people get away in different circumstances. This entails a quick coverage of wildlife trading, its general meaning, reasons of practicing the trade as a business activity and a brief on the impacts it has to the countrys economy that is tourism and the environment. Important topics such as poaching of the wild animals and its general importance the major points that is discussed in this essay. References Daan, P., (2016). The Illegal Wildlife Trade. London: Springer. David, G., (2012). Biotic Evolution and Environmental Change in Southern Asia. London: Cambridge University Press. Retrieved on 28th April 2017 from https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=02YgAwAAQBAJdq=wildlife+tradesource=gbs_navlinks_s Eleanor, S., (2013). Primate Ecology and conservation. United States of America: OUP Oxford. Retrieved on 28th April 2017 from https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=6rgPMqshiUECdq=wildlife+tradesource=gbs_navlinks_s Gary, R.P., (2016). The Geography of Environmental Crime: Conservation, Wildlife Crime and Environmental Activism. London: Springer. Martin, B., (2013). illegal Markets and the Economics of Organized Crimes. New York: Routledge. Peyton, F., (2009). The Economics of Agricultural and Wildlife Smuggling. United States of America: DIANE Publishing Sara, O., (2014). The Trade in Wildlife. New York: Routledge. Wyatt, T., (2013). Wildlife Trafficking. London: Springer.