African conservationists 'shoot to kill poachers'

[anonymaus]

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/48761000/jpg/_48761518_71065500.jpg
Some conservation organisations in Africa are operating a shoot-to-kill policy against poachers, to protect endangered species, a study says.

An academic from the University of Manchester told the BBC that private security firms and mercenaries were being used to train game rangers.

Prof Rosaleen Duffy has researched the issue for 15 years for a book to be published this month.

She said these military-style campaigns were occurring across the continent.

Ms Duffy says the development of nature tourism has meant international pressure to save high-profile species is intense.

full article (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-10992502)

[anonymaus]

I must admit that I felt a bit of a thrill when reading the headline; poachers have gotten away with too much for too long. However: taking a human life, even that of a poacher, to save a beast does not sit well with me at all.

[Óttar]

:jump0000:

The lives of these endangered species animals are worth more than poachers. This new policy is most pragmatic and commendable. :thumb001:

[Wölfin]

A shoot to injure (then arrest) policy would be a better middle ground. Killing (or in this case fighting fire by fire) is disturbing no matter the reason and should be avoided when possible. The medical fees would be covered at their own cost, after all they had it coming.

[Wyn]

I could probably never shoot anyone myself, but you can't really fault the idea of defending an animal against a poacher. A BBC report I saw showed a dead rhinoceros that had been drugged and had its horn severed with a chainsaw. Rather bloody and very cruel.

If you can shoot an intruder in your home, then you can shoot a poacher trying to kill your animal.

But shooting to injure rather than to kill would be preferable, in my opinion.

[anonymaus]

you can't really fault the idea of defending an animal against a poacher.

Yes you can, and very easily, since they are unthinking beasts and poachers are at least nominally human. Unless, of course, somebody owns the beasts and considers them valuable property, in which case:


If you can shoot an intruder in your home, then you can shoot a poacher trying to kill your animal.

The amusing part about this situation is the fact that the poachers are being aggressively countered mostly due to the financial value of endangered species, whose continued existence is managed by their owners selling hunting licenses to wealthy tourists at a sustainable rate.

It's one of the funny things about life, like Bono unironically supporting global corporatism to help poor Africans... :D

[Eldritch]

Ms Duffy says the development of nature tourism has meant international pressure to save high-profile species is intense.

Some conservation groups regard the protection of the gorilla, rhino and other endangered species as more important than human life, she says.

The poacher wants to kill the rhino so he can grind its horn to dust to be sold to horny Chinamen who want their dicks to get temporarily bigger (or smtg).

The conservation groups want to keep them around to make money off tourists, eco- and otherwise.

Does it bother me that they're willing to shoot to kill to protect their investment? I suppose it should, but it doesn't, not in the least.

However I don't think this'll make any difference one way or the other.

[Wyn]

Yes you can, and very easily, since they are unthinking beasts and poachers are at least nominally human. Unless, of course, somebody owns the beasts and considers them valuable property, in which case:

I do agree, I guess. As I say, I couldn't shoot anyone myself, but if somebody is entering your land to kill your property, then defense is defense. I was saying to someone on the day that I saw the aforementioned BBC report that the poachers are lucky that somebody does not lie in wait and shoot them. It is not really something you can't defend against. But as I said, shooting to injure is absolutely preferable. And only if you have to shoot.

[Eldritch]

The amusing part about this situation is the fact that the poachers are being aggressively countered mostly due to the financial value of endangered species, whose continued existence is managed by their owners selling hunting licenses to wealthy tourists at a sustainable rate.

It's one of the funny things about life, like Bono unironically supporting global corporatism to help poor Africans... :D

There's something that bothers me about regarding (magnificent) undomesticated animal species in the wild as property, but that's probably realistically just about the only way to save them -- or at least to effectively combat poaching.

[SwordoftheVistula]

I must admit that I felt a bit of a thrill when reading the headline; poachers have gotten away with too much for too long. However: taking a human life, even that of a poacher, to save a beast does not sit well with me at all.

Who's a beast? Next time I see a Rhinoceros mugging someone I might change my mind. At least the ones I see in zoos are cool. The Africanized 'humans', not so much.



A shoot to injure (then arrest) policy would be a better middle ground.



But as I said, shooting to injure is absolutely preferable. And only if you have to shoot.

Not possible (same applies to police officers dealing with criminals). It's not like the movies, you can't precisely shoot someone in the calf. To hit a person, you have to aim in the center of the body mass, which can end up killing the person.

[Lulletje Rozewater]

Yes you can, and very easily, since they are unthinking beasts and poachers are at least nominally human. Unless, of course, somebody owns the beasts and considers them valuable property, in which case:



The amusing part about this situation is the fact that the poachers are being aggressively countered mostly due to the financial value of endangered species, whose continued existence is managed by their owners selling hunting licenses to wealthy tourists at a sustainable rate.

It's one of the funny things about life, like Bono unironically supporting global corporatism to help poor Africans... :D

Ever been in contact with a poacher or a Chinese,Taiwanese who buys the rhino.
The slit eye we caught,lost all sense of humor and the poacher got the sewn off rhino horn so deep up his black ass,that it took a medical surgeon to take it out.
And what a thrill that was to stick it in and turn him into an Albino.

[Loki]

I'd much rather see a dead poacher than a dead rhino.

[Psychonaut]

I'd much rather see a dead poacher than a dead rhino.

While I don't have any particular attachment to rhinos, I can echo the sentiment. If there were, for example, a rogue group of Korean poachers in the US going around sniping people's house cats, they'd have to go through my shotgun first.

[Lulletje Rozewater]

I'd much rather see a dead poacher than a dead rhino.
They caught 9and 5 of them are white,damned bastard white kaffirs:cry2,the woman involved is quite cute looking.
http://www.beeld.com/Suid-Afrika/Nuus/Stropery-Wildbaas-ook-vas-20100921



http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Rhinos-Controversial-safari-operator-held-20100921



Video
http://teddyhilton.com/2010-09-21-authorities_stop_a_rhino_poaching_ring_in_south_af rica

[Loki]

http://cdn.24.com/files/Cms/General/d/888/c9dcffdcb1ff4cac89ea9ea03196e1b6.jpg

White or not, they are scum of the earth!! Lock them away behind bars forever.

[Alison]

I agree, Loki. The thing about locking them away, though, is that another will simply replace them.

The poachers fill me with revulsion as do the buyers and end users.

[Loki]

The thing about locking them away, though, is that another will simply replace them.


A jail sentence might serve as a deterrent to would-be poachers. But you are right, there are always a plenitude of criminals available for every possible crime.

[Sigara]

Personally I quite agree, they deserve it. Africans have a totally different outlook on human life to Westerners. Humans are expendable, especially the low-class which is where poachers usually come from. If an African security guard or mercenry is told to shoot to kill, he'll do it. Water off a ducks back.

[Bloodeagle]

It would be cool if they made a nature preserve in Africa for African poachers. :D
People from all over the world could come and watch African poachers in their natural environment, doing the things that Africans poachers do, like hacking each other to bits with machetes.
They could be tagged and studied like rhino's or harvested and studied for ballistics data.
Rich Americans could pay big bucks to hunt them and the proceeds could help fund a food drop to the local villagers in the area.

[~°2012°~]

http://cdn.24.com/files/Cms/General/d/888/c9dcffdcb1ff4cac89ea9ea03196e1b6.jpg

White or not, they are scum of the earth!! Lock them away behind bars forever.

Shoot the bitch .. along with the rest.

[Lulletje Rozewater]

Shoot the bitch .. along with the rest.

It has now come to light that this lot bought Rhinos and shot them at their own farm.
The court case is only in April

[SwordoftheVistula]

Maybe the solution would be to allow people to raise rhinos, elephants etc on their own farms for ivory/horn etc? That's how the American Buffalo (Bison) has come back from a rare species to larger numbers. With the present system it's just a rush by poachers to shoot the animals before the other poachers do, with no thought towards the long term continuity of the species.

[Phil75231]

Elephants and rhinos are much, MUCH more tempramental and bigger than American Bison. They require greater land requirements too. In short, it's almost impossible to tame a herd of elephants and rhino (do they live in herds) - to the point that makes it impractical.

[Curtis24]

Ms Duffy says the development of nature tourism has meant international pressure to save high-profile species is intense.


Seriously, this is all about money in the end, not idealistic notions of territoriality. These poacher-killers are probably being funded by Western corporations.

[Lulletje Rozewater]

Maybe the solution would be to allow people to raise rhinos, elephants etc on their own farms for ivory/horn etc? That's how the American Buffalo (Bison) has come back from a rare species to larger numbers. With the present system it's just a rush by poachers to shoot the animals before the other poachers do, with no thought towards the long term continuity of the species.


Rhinos are protected at all times even on farms

[Lulletje Rozewater]

Elephants and rhinos are much, MUCH more tempramental and bigger than American Bison. They require greater land requirements too. In short, it's almost impossible to tame a herd of elephants and rhino (do they live in herds) - to the point that makes it impractical.
Elephants in herds,Rhino in small groups