Illegal trading most commonly involves ivory, rhinoceros horn and pangolin scales, with the products coming mainly from Africa.
Indeed, poaching remains one of the biggest scourges here. And way too many species are now endangered.
We need to educate each other about it. For instance: not all poachers are the same. Many of them across Africa need to survive and to feed their own family. (Of course, others are professionals, or others doing it for cultural/ritual purposes).
It’s way too easy to blame them while sitting on comfortable coaches on the other side of the world, watching what TV wants to teach us.
When you start poaching for the first time you become a poacher, and sometimes you’re not only blamed by anti-poaching organisations but also by your own family, friends, village, society.
Most poachers are the puppets of huge international organisations (based abroad, far from Africa) making business overseas.
Poachers are thus risking their own life killing/injuring wild animals for…money.
Again, it’s too easy to blame Africa/African people when we have ‘no idea’ whose actually behind.
Moses has created this Pangolin rescue centre but not only: he actually bought lands for former poachers to be re-accepted in the society. So they have space to grow vegetables, to plant different species of fruit trees, small houses to cultivate mushrooms, some bee hives, as long as fish farms.
These are alternatives for former poachers to live, to keep feeding their families, and to earn money. Of course, the money is smaller but their reputation is much better. And this is priceless.
Moses even goes to schools and to other institutions to raise awareness amongst the people and especially new generations.
Because to fight poaching, the first thing we have to do is to understand the incomprehensible.
Comments