San Francisco Chronicle: Poaching for profit in tough economic times

[marmar]

Poaching for profit in tough economic times
Peter Fimrite, Chronicle Staff Writer

Tuesday, June 9, 2009


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Game wardens across California are finding that hard economic times can be deadly for animals, which are being killed, captured and sold on the black market or butchered for valuable body parts in unprecedented numbers, state officials said.

The illegal trapping and sale of wildlife is more difficult than ever to prevent because the number of game wardens has steadily dwindled due to budget cuts, said Nancy Foley, chief of enforcement for the California Department of Fish and Game.

"What we're seeing is a tremendous increase in the amount of poaching for profit," Foley said. "It's across the board, from reptiles and amphibians to abalone, bear, deer. Every wildlife species that we have in the state is being illegally commercialized in some part of the state."

The illegal sale of California wildlife and wildlife parts generates an estimated $100 million a year, second only to the illegal drug trade, according to department officials.

The problem is not expected to improve, with California facing a $24.3 billion budget deficit that, among other things, may result in the closure of 219 state parks and the laying off of the rangers who patrol that land. ..........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/06/09/MN9C180V4D.DTL&type=green

[pinniped]

1. Good job Asshole Arnie.

With the reduction of wardens/rangers and the impending closure of state parks, the asshole poachers will have a field day.

[imdjh]

2. Canadian governor eats a raw seal heart

My way of bumping the thread. But tell me that the Queen's emissary eating a seal doesn't encourage people to kill stuff.

[pscot]

3. Easy fix

Put a bounty on poachers.