Organized Crime Is Wiping out Wildlife, Report Finds

[Robbo]

This kind of crap really ticks me off!

ScienceDaily (July 28, 2011) — A paper by WCS conservationist Elizabeth Bennett says that an immense, increasingly sophisticated illegal trade in wildlife parts conducted by organized crime, coupled with antiquated enforcement methods, are decimating the world's most beloved species including rhinos, tigers, and elephants on a scale never before seen.

The paper, published June 7 on the online issue of the journal Oryx, says that much of the trade is driven by wealthy East Asian markets...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... ronment%29

[Salmonhawk]

These are some of the same markets that are threatening so many of our ocean populations. Too bad.

[Robbo]

I met a guy that ran a safari company in Africa a long time ago at the Puyallup Sportsmans Show. Actually what lured me into his booth was his smoking hot blonde daughter...but that's another story. We bs'd about all of their hunts and after getting to know him a little better he pulled me aside and asked if I'd be interested in the "Ultimate Hunt". In a hushed voice he told me how he and several other outfitters were waging war against the poachers in Africa and were quietly booking "hunters" to pursue this new game. It was big, big bucks and it sounded like wealthy individuals flew in from all over the world to participate. Definitely not for me, but someone has to protect the wildlife over there and it sure isn't going to be the governments of those countries. One of those conversations that I'll never forget

[Salmonhawk]

WOW, he thought you were wealthy

[Ruckus]

Hired gun MERCS to save wildlife. That sounds like a cool gig!