Poaching in the United States Definition Poaching is

Poaching in the United States

Definition: Poaching is the hunting and killing of any animal illegally.

Two Main Types of Poaching: • The harvesting of game animals outside of their designated hunting season. • Killing any non-game species such as threatened or endangered animals.

Poaching History • Hunting began millions of years ago as a form of subsistence for primitive humans. • Almost every aspect of the animal was used

History of Poaching • Poaching of animals was most likely to have been originated by a group of Europeans venturing into Africa. – They went back with only the hides of some animals to promote fur clothing and other specific, desirable animal products.

Efforts to Curb Poaching • A growing concern about interstate exploitation of illegally taken game led to the enactment of The Lacey Act in 1900. – It prohibits the interstate and international trade in illegally taken wildlife.

Recent History in Poaching • Since 1997, prosecution of cases involving poaching total over 18, 000 in the United States. • Gail Anderson, a forensic entomologist at Simon Fraser University near Vancouver, British Columbia, calls bear poaching, “the second most profitable crime in North America after drug dealing, ” and has reported seeing, “truck loads of galls, ” from U. S. bears and urges a more dynamic anti-poaching approach here.

Laws • In general some species are legal to hunt and some are not • Some laws from states and some from federal government • Enforcing laws can be problematic

Lacey Act • Passed in 1900 but amended since then • Regulates import/export of illegally taken species • Enacted because of poaching, but doesn’t directly restrict poaching

Wildlife Act of 1976 • Detailed restrictions on the harvest of animals • Restricts methods • Restricts which animals can be harvested and where • Purpose – for wildlife management and preservation/conservation

Penalties • Penalties for breaking laws vary • VA – forfeit of license and or firearms • Migratory species (mainly birds) – federal repercussions

Enforcing Laws • Enforcement – not easy • Problems with funding • Hard to police everyone – too much manpower needed • Small scale offenders have decent chance of evading punishment

Why Poach? • Money for drugs and prostitution • Far East exotic foods and medicinal purposes • Trophy heads of Bighorn sheep, elk, moose, deer, goats, bear, etc. • Exotic parts such as fetuses, antler velvet, hooves and tails of deer/elk/caribou, feathers of eagles and other birds of prey, and the gall bladders, paws, penis', claws and teeth of bears

The Black Bear • Paws, penis', claws, feet, and teeth • Gall Bladder is scarcer than heroin • The bile from the gall bladder is used in traditional oriental medicines for the treatment of burns, fever, stomach ulcers, heart disease, cancer, liver and gall bladder problems, and hemorrhoids. • ***70 lb of gall bladder = 1 million dollars

Gall Bladder

Cougar • Killed for head, claws, and skin • Skin = $1, 000 -1, 500 • Territory spans the United States, but major problem with poaching in the West

Birds of Prey • Body parts used in decorative items and jewelry • Carcasses of bald eagles can sell for $2, 500 and feathers for $50 each • Falcons and their fledglings are trapped, stolen from nests, and sold for use in the "sport" of falconry

• • • http: //www. angelfire. com/va 2/toshb/poaching. html Works Cited “Anti-Poaching Program. ” Mountain Lion Foundation. October 2002. <http: //www. mountainlion. org/Anti-Poaching/poachers. htm>. Journal of Wildlife Management. Vol. 63, No. 3, July 1999. Bethesda MD. Savannah, Robert. American Black Bear. Fish and Wildlife Service. 27 Nov 2002 <http: //species. fws. gov/bio_bear. html>. Verney, Peter. Animals in Peril. Great Britain: Mills & Boon Ltd. , 1979. Waugh, Jeff. “Poachers Threaten Wildlife. ” Banff National Park. Wildlife. 1 Oct. 2002 <http: //www. canadianrockies. net/banff/poaching. html>.

Works Cited (Cont’d) • “Anti-Poaching Program. ” Mountain Lion Foundation. October 2002. <http: //www. mountainlion. org/Anti-Poaching/poachers. htm>. • Clede, Bill. Wildlife Forensics Lab. Law and Order. November 2002. <http: //www. clede. com/Articles/Police/wildforn. htm>. • Journal of Wildlife Management. Vol. 63, No. 3, July 1999. Bethesda MD. • Savannah, Robert. American Black Bear. Fish and Wildlife Service. 27 Nov 2002 <http: //species. fws. gov/bio_bear. html>. • Verney, Peter. Animals in Peril. Great Britain: Mills & Boon Ltd. , 1979. • Waugh, Jeff. “Poachers Threaten Wildlife. ” Banff National Park. Wildlife. 1 Oct. 2002 <http: //www. canadianrockies. net/banff/poaching. html>.