The endangered five: Africa’s most poached wild animals
PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI A member of the public views a carcass of a male elephant that was killed at Hombe area in Mt Kenya forest on January 9, 2014.
What you need to know:
- Lions, also known as the kings of the jungle, might soon have no kingdoms to rule over. At least, not with poachers roaming the jungle, and with the jungle shrinking by the day, thanks to human encroachment.
- Some animals have become extinct in certain countries, largely due to poaching, although others die natural deaths. If nothing is done to stop the wanton killing of wildlife and to conserve the endangered species, some animals will be extinct in the not-too-distant future.
The number of elephants that once roamed the African grasslands or inhabited the tropical forests has gone down drastically, thanks to the highly value placed on their tusks.
And lions, also known as the kings of the jungle, might soon have no kingdoms to rule over. At least, not with poachers roaming the jungle, and with the jungle shrinking by the day, thanks to human encroachment.
The fiercest and the largest African animals are at greatest risk, but there are others equally at risk as humans continue hunting them for food, or their skin, tusks, horns, or capturing their young ones to be taken to the zoo.
Some animals have become extinct in certain countries, largely due to poaching, although others die natural deaths. If nothing is done to stop the wanton killing of wildlife and to conserve the endangered species, some animals will be extinct in the not-too-distant future.
Man, who was supposed to watch over animals, has turned on them for monetary gain, and from the look of things, he is not about to stop. There is a booming market for illegal trade in wildlife products worth $19 (Sh1,615 billion) globally per year. The situation is critical, and only drastic and concerted efforts will save many of the world’s animals.
