Poaching: Wildlife Criminals in our Back Yards

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	Poachers destroy wildlife for nothing but thrills, parts and trophies.

The word "poaching" immediately conjures thoughts of massive elephants in Africa killed to have their tusks sawed off and then left to rot, but in the United States poaching is just as deadly and brutal.

Wildlife officials estimate that for every wild animal killed legally—tens of millions of animals per year—another is killed illegally. And with scarce wildlife enforcement resources and countless acres of open land, only a scant few percent of poachers are caught and punished for their crimes.

What is Poaching?

Poaching is a broad term that includes, but is not limited to, killing endangered and threatened animals, killing animals out of their hunting season, using illegal weapons, killing animals on closed land, or leading others to kill animals illegally as an unlicensed guide.

Find your state's poaching tip line. When you call the tip line, ask if there is a reward. The HSUS offers rewards in certain cases.

The callous details surrounding each poaching case are often chilling. In one Utah case, two teenagers participating in a group training dogs to chase black bears. After the party dispersed, the two youths shot the mother bear and two cubs who had taken refuge in a tree, and then left the bears abandoned on the ground.

Why do Poachers Kill?

Poaching is described by wildlife officers as everything from an "addiction" to a money-making industry.

Many poachers "thrill kill" animals to obtain a trophy for the wall. A poacher may kill a large elk or deer, chop off the head and valuable antlers and then in a degrading act leave the rest of the animal lying on the ground. Some stockpile the antlers or submit macabre photos depicting the kill to magazines that glorify the killing of a trophy animal.

Increasingly, wildlife officers find that organized poaching rings are proliferating because many of the poached animals can be traded in a lucrative black market. A set of big-horned sheep antlers may go for tens of thousands of dollars, and poachers can sell bear gall bladders to China where they are churned up for an herbal remedy.

What You Can Do

Wildlife belongs to all people, but poachers step into America's wild backyard set to exploit animals with the knowledge that they probably will not be caught.

But by state wildlife agencies sharing information on poachers and citizens taking our role as stewards of wildlife seriously, we can stop these killers.

• Equip yourself with knowledge. Headed out to go hiking or bird-watching? Know your state's wildlife regulations and hunting seasons so you can readily identify violations.
• If you see suspicious activity, don't try to confront the individual. First, get a description of the poacher, the vehicle, and surrounding area.
• Second, call your state wildlife enforcement department immediately [PDF]. Timeliness is necessary to catch poachers.
• Find your state's poaching tip line.

Related Links

Spotlight on the Bad Guys

Websites for State DNR or Game & Fish Departments

The HSUS Helps Throw The Book at Poachers