There is a world somewhere between reality and fiction. Although ignored by many, it is very real and so are those living in it. This forum is about the natural world. Here, wild animals will be heard and respected. The forum offers a glimpse into an unknown world as well as a room with a view on the present and the future. Anyone able to speak on behalf of those living in the emerald forest and the deep blue sea is invited to join.
12-09-2021, 07:45 AM( This post was last modified: 12-09-2021, 09:07 AM by peter )
MATIAS
Interesting article. Could you find some time to get to a summary? The reason is the topic discussed will become much more real.
Wildlife crime is very common in many places. The new insights (and the proposal to focus on prevention in particular) sound promising. Same for the toolkits that were developed.
In the end, it depends on the situation and the region. Education and prevention are needed everywhere, but this, I agree, is not always true for fines and imprisonment. You don't want to hurt people unable to survive a crisis.
On the other hand.
People have been discussing the costs and benefits of imprisonment for a very long time. All of those involved know the discussion had few, if any, results. Reality says most of those convicted will return to prison sooner or later. A bloody shame, but there you have it.
We should never give up hope, but that's without the factor time. In the last two decades, thousands of wild tigers have been killed in southeastern Asia. In most countries, they're all but gone. The amount of snares still present in the, otherwise intact, forests is enormous (millions). Tigers just don't stand a chance. Same for all other animals.
If we want to protect the natural world, we have to acknowledge wildlife crime is very big business attracting very motivated, able and often ruthless people. Don't forget many dozens of rangers have been killed doing their work. We need something that compares to stand a chance.
Most of us know Russia is very serious about conservation. If you kill a tiger, you face years of imprisonment. Many don't know China is as serious. If you kill a tiger in China, the penalty is even heavier.
Anything known about the effects of new legislation? Yes. If anything, it's limited. Very limited. In spite of many decades of protection and the interest of Putin, the number of wild Amur tigers in Russia only very slowly increases. My guess is many tigers are still killed every year.
We can discuss crime and punishment for a long time, but time is limited. If those involved in poaching and trafficking get a free ride, tigers will be gone in a decade from now. The reason is they represent serious money. Most people involved in trafficking are professionals. They know about the risks and got to a decision. I agree it's not likely poachers will change their ideas in prison, but the question is if they want to. Another question is if society really is prepared to tackle crime. Asking the question is answering it, they say. For now, the conclusion is we have to deal with crime. It's part of life.
Humans are individuals. Everyone is different. Most of us would be prepared to contribute to society in some way or another, but most is not all. Some people are great surgeons, but others are as able in crime or murder and all want a career. In the seventies, quite a few interested in the human mind were convinced people now described as sociopaths had to be approached in a different way. A new therapy was developed and it was applied in some countries. I talked to a few people who were there and read a few books. I can keep it real short and tell you the sociopaths won. It wasn't even close.
Compared to the natural world, the world of humans seems tough and very complex. But what about those making their home in the deep blue sea and the emerald forest? According to some involved in animal rescue of some kind, this isn't true. The victims of skilled predators are unaware of the dangers lurking in the dark, they say. Right.
I definitely like the human world. Humans are, or more accurately, can be, very creative. Not, as many think, in a material way, but in a, ehh, spiritual way. The natural world is very different from our world. Older, more profound and much more serene. It really has an effect if you have the good fortune to live and feel it for a period of time. I'm convinced it will survive the ages. Not quite true for the human world. It seems we're lacking something to get there. Respect? I'm not sure if we belong there, but I do think we should try to stay out of it.
Very interesting topic. Let's see if we can develop this thread.
