Rhino Poaching Essay

1. What is poaching?

Numerous people engage in hunting practices for recreational purposes, but not all of those people understand the various laws which govern the sport of hunting wildlife. Apart from those who hunt for recreation, there are others which do so for economic reasons, which in most cases are illegal and purely for financial gain, by providing a specific market with desired animals, animal parts or animal products. Poaching, according to Doris Lin, an animal rights expert, is defined as:

Poaching is the illegal taking of wildlife, in violation of local, state, federal or international law. Activities that are considered poaching include killing an animal out of season, without a license, with a prohibited weapon,

3. Where is it done?

Rhino poaching is done everywhere where rhino populations exist out in the wild, due to the increasing demand for the products of poaching. On the other hand it is not unheard of for rhinos to be poached in protected captive environments.

There are five main species of rhino in the world, two species, namely, the black rhino and white rhino are found in Africa and the remaining three species are found in southern Asia, which are the Sumatran, Javan and the Indian(Greater one-horn) rhinos.

All five are being poached in their respective locations and habitats. The only species which has managed to regain numbers is the Indian rhino species, however they are still being poached. The Sumatran and Javan rhinos are listed as critically endangered as well as the northern white rhino in Africa. Southern Africa has been subjected to record high yearly increases in poaching with South Africa specifically reporting significant poaching rates especially in the Kruger National Park. South Africa is known to have a large portion of the world’s entire rhino population and has also been experiencing the highest rates of poaching in the