Poaching isn’t a rare occurrence in quiet corners of the world. This illegal activity takes place within the United States and in many countries worldwide. It’s a sobering reality to realize that so many animals die needlessly for personal gain or sport, and it takes away from those who hunt and fish legally. 

Achieving zero poaching isn’t impossible. There are ways you can act to help reduce poaching numbers and conserve wildlife. With the following tips, we can achieve zero Poaching. Read on to learn what you need to know. 

Defining Poaching

Poaching is the wrongful or illegal harvesting, trafficking, and killing of various kinds of wildlife. In some cases, poachers kill animals as personal trophies, sell their body parts for money, or trade them illegally for sport. It affects the planet’s biodiversity, and as a result, the need for Zero poaching is great. 

What is Zero Poaching?

Doesn’t it seem somewhat unachievable to reach a level of no poaching worldwide? In reality, zero poaching is possible, and it will occur when no traces of poaching activity are detected in a given area and species are able to maintain a stable and growing population. There are several ways different countries of the world can focus on this goal. Keep reading to explore these actions and see what you can do to help.

It Takes Government Action

Ending poaching may be a lofty goal, but it’s one worth pursuing. Though it’s a worthy cause, it’s not something that any one person can take on alone. Achieving zero poaching takes the cooperation of different government systems worldwide. By joining forces with other Zero poaching organizations, government officials may be able to begin affecting positive change to end poaching and conserve wildlife diversity.

Nepal Shows that it Is Possible

Ending world hunger is one goal that seems nearly insurmountable, but that doesn’t mean people shouldn’t try to attain it. Similarly, achieving Zero poaching may seem nearly impossible but that’s not the case. Every country doing their part to assess what’s working, change what isn’t, and prosecute found poachers bring the globe steps closer to achieving that vision.

Nepal is an example of a country that is doing its part to end poaching. This country has achieved Zero poaching in a 365-day period two times in recent history –– once in 2011 and once in 2014. Nepal’s success should serve as an illustration to other nations that achieving Zero poaching is something worth pursuing.

There are Six Primary Pillars to Zero Poaching

While achieving this end will take dedication, it’s not an un-blazed trail. In fact, there are six primary pillars that a nation or state can review to begin doing their part to end poaching for their regions. Keep reading to see how these pillars work.

Assessment

This pillar asserts that officials need a working understanding of the reality of poaching in their country. After taking in that information, they can begin to evaluate what parts of the anti-poaching system are working and which are not. Authorities can use this insight to measure against future and past anti-poaching efforts.

Capacity

Capacity refers to a region’s ability to protect wildlife on a given surface of land. Training rangers and front-line staff helps embolden a region against poaching. This pillar may include developing educational resources for existing wildlife staff or hiring more staff to protect against poaching.

Technology

Poachers often use highly-technological methods to kill animals illegally while leaving hardly any trace. Keeping up with these methods means employing technology in anti-poaching efforts. As such, rangers and field staff may need increased technology in order to achieve lower levels of poaching. This may include early detection technology and remote monitoring to keep an eye on wildlife and secure land against poachers.

Community

No one person can stop poaching. It takes countries cooperating together, dedicated authorities, and community involvement. Often, no one knows about the secret happenings of a particular place like the people in its community. Members may be able to identify and report poaching activity to help reduce it. Organizations partnering with and educating authorities and community members alike can help end poaching. 

Prosecution

What good is the hard work of rangers and wildlife staff if poachers can get away with their crimes easily? Since Zero poaching relies on catching known poachers, it is important that governments see the value in prosecuting violators to ensure they don’t continue.

Cooperation

Local, regional, and national collaboration are necessary to end poaching. Governmental action and non-profit organizations must come together to fight this horrid activity. 

We Can Achieve Zero Poaching 

Countries like Nepal show the world that Zero poaching is possible. By engaging communities, investing in protective staff, and cooperating with those on the same team, countries can see more bio-diverse lands and enjoy their wildlife for years to come.