Human+Poaching+of+the+Savannah+Mammals

**Poaching is the illegal, hunting, killing or capturing of animals.**
 * What is Poaching?**

=**Human Poachers and Smuggling Consuming Nature**=



**Why would anyone poach?** **-Humans and their ancestors have hunted for over 400,000 years. Historically, hunting has played an important role in leadership, community formation, language development, and tool use. While primitive humans relied largely upon hunting for food, the agricultural revolution reduced the need for survival hunting in most parts of the world. Hunting has continued, however, for several reasons, and poaching remains a possibility wherever hunting is an important part of the economy or culture.** **-Animal products, such as hide, ivory, horn, teeth and bone, are sold to dealers who make clothes, jewelry and other materials from them. In some African and Latin American societies, animals are poached for game meat.**

=**The Poacher sitting in his hide out The poacher and all of his poaching tools over 25 arrows and enough poison to kill many Elephants**=

=**Poison in the black plastic bags and crude tools to make more arrows an axe and knives, spare arrow heads,a bow and metal sticks. The poison is extremely dangerous**.=

**Why are lions threatened by poachers?** **-Lions are declining throughout their range. East Africa is one of their last strongholds, containing approximately half of the remaining African lion population (the majority is in Tanzania). In Kenyan Maasailand, Maasai people are spearing and poisoning lions at a rate that will ensure local extinction within a decade. Lion killing is embedded within Maasai perception of depredation by lions on livestock, socio-economic factors, and the complex relationship between Maasai and conservation. These all affect tolerance for lions and consequently Maasai behavior towards conservation initiatives and carnivores in general.**



**Why are lions are worth saving if they only endanger wildlife and livestock? Why should take special efforts to protect predators?** **-Many Maasai would say that lions are not worth saving because they kill livestock and do not bring any benefits back to the people. However, this view is slowly changing as Maasai are increasingly engaging in lion conservation activities. They are starting to realize that lions have value, both ecologically and culturally. Lions are top predators in the ecosystem and play an important role in maintaining equilibrium. Also, to the Maasai, lions are symbols of strength and courage. Traditionally, Maasai held a deep respect for lions, but due to many factors including an increase in conflict between livestock and carnivores, lions are not valued and respected as they once were. In the end, the brunt of living with carnivores cannot fall solely on the shoulders of Maasai; they must begin to see some tangible benefits (both economic and not economic) from coexisting with wildlife if conservation is to succeed.**