Argumentative Essay on Poaching

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Hunting has been a necessary part of human life since before time was even recorded. More recently hunting has changed into more of a sport rather than a means to survive. Hunting, just like any other sport has specific rules and regulations that need to be followed. Each animal that can be harvested has a specific season during which it can be hunted, if an animal is taken out of season the killer becomes known as a poacher. The poaching of any animal, whether it is endangered or not, threatens the vitality of the animal kingdom. The poaching of endangered animals such as elephants has become such a large problem in Africa that game wardens have been granted the ability shoot anyone suspected of poaching on sight (Snyder). The mass killing of these elephants has lead them nearly to extinction. The elephants of Africa are being killed for their ivory tusks that can reach as high as $400 per pound (Begley). Not only are elephants being targeted but other endangered species as well, such as tigers and rhinos. A full set of tiger bones can go for just over $7,000, and rhino horn goes for close to $25,000 per pound (Begley). With such astronomical prices it is easy to understand why people are willing to go to such great lengths to kill these once fruitful animals. As the number of endangered animals being poached each year rises, the total number of said animals falls. The animals are not able to repopulate quick enough in order to boost their total number. If this trend continues and nothing is done about the slaughter of these beautiful creatures there soon will be no more of these animals left on earth. In Tanzania alone over 31,000 elephants have been killed by poachers (Hartley). All throughout national parks in Africa elephant carcasses can be found littered with bullet holes and axe marks where the tusks have been removed. Most of the killing happen with
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