Poaching is a serious threat to the survival of many animals in the wild. Added with the increase in
organized gang activity many animals face extinction. Sometimes its not even criminal gangs or
poachers. Rural populations faced with economic challenges resort to this trade to feed their starving
families. Whatever the drive, many animals face extinction as a result. Petluvs.com is committed to
fighting illegal poaching. Below are some of the most vulnerable animals pursued by poachers every
year, as reported by USA Today.

Elephants

White gold or the ivory tusks of elements are most sought after commodity. In 1989 the trade in tusk
was banned. That has not stopped poachers to hunt down elephants as people the demand side of the
equation is very much alive estimated 2.2 pounds of elephant tusks could fetch around $2000. Sadly
enough, conservative estimates, by 2011 alone poachers killed roughly one in every 12 African
elephants.

Rhinos

Similarly, Rhino tusks draw poachers the same way elephants do. 2.2 pounds of rhino tusks could fetch
$65,000, making it more expensive by weight than, cocaine, diamond or gold. Faced with increased
threat authorities are finding more carcasses where the hron has been cut off while the animals are still
alive. In 2011 the western black Rhinoceros went extinct. Authorities have resorted to innovative ways
in protecting what’s left, from drone surveillance to DNA databases. Demand is stronger is South Asia,
with consumers concentrated in Vietnam.

Tigers

By the lte 1990s the tiger population I the wild was down to 5000 to 7000. Humans crave every part of
this beat, from the bones, paws and whiskers even. The demand has even led to the tiger farms in China
and Vietnam where these beautiful animals are specially bred for the body parts. Populations in these
incubators are estimate to be 2 to 3 times that in the wild.

Sea Turtles

The Fashion Industry feeds the trend of poaching and has leads to the near extinction of many species.
One such trend in tortoiseshell jewelry, glasses, ornaments and other items has resulted in the now
critically low numbers of the hawksbill, a tropical turtle with beautiful yellow-and-brown shell.
International trade. The international trade of tortoiseshell has been banned. However, the black
market continues to thrive in Asia, mainly Japan and China, and much of what they make are exported
to the Americas.

Lemurs

Considered most endangered mammals on earth. Lemurs are most common on the Island of
Madagascar. Whole 10% of worldwide populations found elsewhere outside of Madagascar. Loss of
habitat through deforestation and climate change are primarily the cause of the threat to dwindling
Lemur numbers. There is now legislature in place that makes killing them illegal. Unfortunately, lemurs
are poached and sold to restaurants or eaten by impoverished locals desperate for food.

Gorillas

Poachers have targeted gorillas for the body parts. Their meat know as ‘bushmeat’ is popular among
the wealthy. Gorillas also suffer from loss of habitat but to deforestation and logging and human
populations encroaching on lands that were roaming lands for these beautiful creatures. There have
bene reported cases where gorillas have been killed just to get them out to way , for loggers to farm logs
and tree trunks as in the case in the Republic of Congo. The western lowland gorilla is partucilarly under
threat. Per the International Union for Conservation of Nature, by the middle of this century we may
well have wiped out more than 80% of all western gorillas in just three generations.


Reference

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2015/07/31/globalpost-6-endangered-animals-poachershunting-into-extinction/30932385/