Wildlife Crime: Changing the Narrative (original) (raw)
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Community Perceptions and Attitudes Regarding Wildlife Crime in South Africa
World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, International Journal of Environmental and Ecological Engineering, 2017
Wildlife crime is a complex problem with many interconnected facets, which are generally responded to in parts or fragments in efforts to “break down” the complexity into manageable components. However, fragmentation increases complexity as coherence and cooperation become diluted. A whole-of-society approach has been developed towards finding a common goal and integrated approach to preventing wildlife crime. As part of this development, research was conducted in rural communities adjacent to conservation areas in South Africa to define and comprehend the challenges faced by them, and to understand their perceptions of wildlife crime. The results of the research showed that the perceptions of community members varied most were in favor of conservation and of protecting rhinos, only if they derive adequate benefit from it. Regardless of gender, income level, education level, or access to services, conservation was perceived to be good and bad by the same people. Even though people i...
Wildlife crime promoted by weak governance
African Journal of Ecology, 2017
Wildlife crime such as illegal hunting of elephants and rhinos is currently one of the major issues in conservation. In order to combat poaching, law enforcement is essential. Here, we reviewed wildlife cases from the Northern Zone Anti-Poaching Unit, Arusha, Tanzania (APU-Arusha), focusing on the types of wildlife offence committed, prosecution outcomes and the sentences awarded to the offenders who were found guilty by the courts. Eighty-two registered cases were thoroughly reviewed. The majority of wildlife offences committed were unlawful possession of, and failure to report, government trophies. It was found that only 16% of the accused were found guilty, 6% were acquitted, 30% of the charges were withdrawn, and 48% of the cases were discharged by the director of public prosecution (DPP) or magistrate. The poor conviction rate was attributed to weak evidence, failure of the prosecution to prove cases beyond reasonable doubt, lack of cooperation between the zonal game office and the DPP, and in some cases, the accused jumped their bails. Understanding the factors which allow individuals to continue to engage in poaching and the factors that promote the practice of good governance is vital in trying to stop wildlife crimes.
Assessing the Menace of Illegal Wildlife Trade in the Sub Saharan African Region
Over the last years, the rapid increase in wildlife trade and the continued disappearance of endangered species has reached a frightening frequency in Africa. While such practices not only undermine sustainability, biodiversity and habitat protection, environmental services provided by natural areas and the species contained therein command infinite value. In the process, the incidence of poaching and illegal wildlife trade area threatens the protection of numerous bird mammal and amphibian species with extinction. In the face of all these, the species at risk lack protection over any part of their ranges due to the costs of management and hosts of socioeconomic and physical elements. The heinous nature of these practices comes at the expense of biodiversity protection, global heritage and assets of communities endangered in different countries of Sub Saharan Africa region (SSA). Considering the gravity, illegal wildlife trade has emerged as an international development and environmental issue since it weakens security, rule of law, and any initiatives to boost biodiversity and eradicate acute deprivation. In these nations, various individuals depend on forests, wildlife and fisheries for their survival. When people loose wildlife access and security because of organized criminals involved in the illicit trades, society gives up the critical apparatuses essential in the eradication of impoverishment and sustenance of biodiversity. Just as the disappearance of biodiversity and the presence of violent elements linked to trafficking, reduce the prospects for sustainable development and the stability of environmental systems, including eco-tourism. Protecting wildlife from poaching and illegal trafficking in that setting, helps secure our global heritage in the fight against criminal networks that exploit humans and nature by threatening national security and rule of law. Due to these lapses, there has been a growing interest in highlighting the experience of nations in SSA region known for abundant wildlife and species diversity. Accordingly, this paper assesses the menace to endangered wildlife in the SSA region. With emphasis on the issues, ecological analysis, impacts, the factors influencing it and mitigation efforts, the paper uses a mix scale methodology of descriptive statistics and GIS to analyze the trends spatially. While results point to declines in wildlife species among these countries and spatial diffusion of the trends and the role of several factors, the study recommended several measures ranging from education to the strengthening of policies through a coordinated global action plan to stem the savagery.
Reversing the trend of wildlife crime in Tanzania: challenges and opportunities
Biodiversity and Conservation, 2016
Wildlife crime is increasingly gaining prominence in global environmental debates. The crime, generating huge financial returns to few individuals, has far reaching implications on ecology, economy and global security. The seriousness of these implications provides sufficient rationale for reconsidering and intensifying efforts to combat this crime. However, these efforts are compromised by a number of challenges, though opportunities for success exist. This paper presents some of these challenges and opportunities available for reversing the trend of wildlife crime in Tanzania. The challenges presented include poverty, high profit associated with illicit trade on wildlife, poor governance and corruption, minimal budget and inadequate institutional support, political interference and low employee morale, minimal benefits to local communities, human population growth, climate change and HIV/AIDS pandemic. Opportunities identified include increased public awareness, growing global political concern and commitment, presence of relevant policies, programmes and strategies along with international agreements supportive to species protection. Before embarking on challenges and opportunities, the paper provides an overview of Tanzania's wildlife resources, status and trend of this crime. In conclusion, the paper underscores the gravity of the problem and its implications and offers some recommendations for improving the situation. Keywords Wildlife crime Á Poaching Á Challenges Á Opportunities Á Trends Á Tanzania Communicated by Karen E. Hodges.
World Development
Rulers of weak states face a predicament. They lack capacity to monitor crime and need citizens to partake in intelligence-sharing. Yet, agents of such authorities are seldom trusted, raising doubts about whether locals will provide information. The case of wildlife poaching in African countries illustrates this tension, where rangers are few and offenders on good terms with locals. Why do some locals choose to assist rangers and report on poachers, while others refrain from doing so? We surveyed 2300 residents in and near the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park in Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. We find that people that are afraid of rangers and perceive them as corruptible are less willing to assist in information-sharing. Seeing poaching as condemnable also matters. In contrast, individuals' stakes in conservation and perceptions of wildlife as threatened do not predict our outcome. For effective community policing, policy needs to change how officials are seen.
Editorial: Wildlife crime poses unique challenges to protected areas
PARKS, 2013
Wildlife crime is the fifth largest international criminal activity worldwide. Wildlife and timber poaching is becoming increasingly organised, increasingly global and more ruthless. Protected areas are suffering most acutely from this crime wave. They frequently contain the richest biodiversity and many species valued by poachers are now virtually or completely confined to protected areas. Managers, rangers and their families are intimidated, attacked and killed. Local communities suffer threats, disturbance and loss of natural resources from community reserves. Protected areas are further exposed in many countries by weak judicial processes that fail to prosecute wildlife traders even if they are caught. These developments signal the need for long-term changes in management in protected areas containing species sought by wildlife traders; more emphasis on patrolling and enforcement along with efforts to address corruption, strengthen the judiciary and improve enforcement along the rest of the trade chain. Many of these changes are unwelcome in institutions that have spent decades developing softer approaches to management. Addressing wildlife crime without losing the benefits of more transparent, consultative and participatory approaches is a challenge that requires concerted efforts by all those affected.
South African Conservation Crime and Routine Activities Theory
Over the last few years the wholesale slaughter of rhinoceroses (rhinos) in South Africa has unceremoniously thrust conservation crime into the news. Not only is the wanton massacre of these animals abhorrent in itself, but it becomes even more so when one considers that they are generally being decimated on managed protected areas and nature reserves. During 2010, for example, 333 rhinos were poached across South Africa, 146 of them from within the precincts of the Kruger National Park, South Africa's premier wildlife conservation area. By April 2011 South Africa had lost a further 114 rhinos to poaching and current estimates are that in South Africa we will, on average, lose one rhino per day. Conservation law violations encompass many offences against the natural environment, a common one being wildlife poaching. Previous research has often described the extent and impact of poaching as offender behaviour. While it has indisputably contributed to an understanding of this crime and what motivates poachers, more research is needed to examine why protected conservation areas are so easily penetrated and wildlife populations victimised on a regular basis. Theory-based studies focusing on all elements of a crime, would add to the understanding of poaching. The qualitative enquiry in this article examines the efficacy of the Routine Activities Theory in order to assist the understanding of the phenomenon of poaching in protected conservation areas in South Africa. Data collected at conservation areas threatened by poaching, were analysed via this theory. Wildlife custodianship problems were identified with a view to both developing a framework for understanding the challenges being faced in this arena and empowering policy makers to more resourcefully initiate intervention strategies and control illegal hunting in these conservation areas.