Poaching in the United States

1
Poaching in the United States
2
Definition

• Poaching is the hunting and killing of any animal
  illegally.

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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.

4
Poaching History

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

5
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.

6
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.

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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.

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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

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Lacey Act

• Passed in 1900 but amended since then
• Regulates import/export of illegally taken
  species
• Enacted because of poaching, but doesnt directly
  restrict poaching

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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

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Penalties

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

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Enforcing Laws

• Enforcement not easy
• Problems with funding
• Hard to police everyone too much man-power
  needed
• Small scale offenders have decent chance of
  evading punishment

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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, antlers, 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

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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

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Gall Bladder
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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

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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

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• http//www.angelfire.com/va2/toshb/poaching.html
• Works Cited
• Anti-Poaching Program. Mountain Lion
  Foundation. October 2002. lthttp//www.mountainlio
  n.org/Anti-Poaching/poachers.htmgt.
• Journal of Wildlife Management. Vol. 63, No. 3,
  July 1999. Bethesda MD.
• Savannah, Robert. American Black Bear. Fish and
  Wildlife Service. 27 Nov 2002 lthttp//species.fws
  .gov/bio_bear.htmlgt.
• Verney, Peter. Animals in Peril. Great Britain
  Mills Boon Ltd., 1979.
• Waugh, Jeff. Poachers Threaten Wildlife. Banff
  National Park- Wildlife. 1 Oct. 2002
  lthttp//www.canadianrockies.net/banff/poaching.ht
  mlgt.

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Works Cited (Contd)

• Anti-Poaching Program. Mountain Lion
  Foundation. October 2002. lthttp//www.mountainlio
  n.org/Anti-Poaching/poachers.htmgt.
• Clede, Bill. Wildlife Forensics Lab. Law and
  Order. November 2002. lthttp//www.clede.com/Artic
  les/Police/wildforn.htmgt.
• Journal of Wildlife Management. Vol. 63, No. 3,
  July 1999. Bethesda MD.
• Savannah, Robert. American Black Bear. Fish and
  Wildlife Service. 27 Nov 2002 lthttp//species.fws
  .gov/bio_bear.htmlgt.
• Verney, Peter. Animals in Peril. Great Britain
  Mills Boon Ltd., 1979.
• Waugh, Jeff. Poachers Threaten Wildlife. Banff
  National Park- Wildlife. 1 Oct. 2002
  lthttp//www.canadianrockies.net/banff/poaching.ht
  mlgt.