(Credits: wcs.org)
First, we have to realise that many parties contribute to the poaching situation; poachers are not the only ones involved. These parties include (not exclusively): the poachers, the leaders behind the organisation of poachers, the government body that is in charge of preventing poaching (in this case, the government of Indonesia), the consumers of the wildlife trade, the activists against poaching as well as the lay people. Each of these factions of the poaching business plays an important role in the continuation or end of poaching. Each faction has its own contributions and motivations and this post seeks to point out what some of these are.
Why do any of the other people play a part in the poaching business? For one, if there was no demand for these beautiful and exotic creatures, poachers wouldn’t even exist! Also, if strictly enforced laws were put in place to punish poachers, there would probably also be fewer poachers around. These are but some examples of how other groups of people contribute to poaching. That poaching is a “business” is telling of its goal – to make lots of money. Since there are many parties to the poaching business, we will have to understand the motivations for each party in his or her contribution to the poaching of animals.