To Protect Rhinos, This National Park Just Shoots People (50 Poachers Killed So Far)
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Kaziranga National Park is a story of success when it comes to conservation of rhinos – but what they’ve done to achieve it is allowing its workers to shoot and even kill potential poachers. So far, the park has killed 50 people.
Rhinos are safe there – a century ago, there was only a handful of Indian one-horned rhinoceros. Now, the park hosts more than 2,400, which is two-thirds of the world’s population. However, little is talked about the fact that in 2015, more people were shot dead by park guards then the number of rhinos killed by poachers.
These people all went after rhino horn, as they could be sold for as much as $6,000 for 100g and are considerably more expensive than gold. They are mostly marketed as a miracle cure for everything from cancer to erectile dysfunction.
So yes, rhinos do need protection, but this has gone too far. National park’s workers can kill a person and get away with impunity. The question is, could this kind of punishment ever be justified? And how many innocent people were killed?
More info: Kaziranga National Park (h/t: bbc)
Kaziranga National Park is a story of success when it comes to conservation of rhinos – but they kill poachers
Image credits: PA
So far, the park has killed 50 people
Image credits: EPA
Rhinos are safe there – a century ago, there was only a handful of Indian one-horned rhinoceros
Image credits: Anupam Nath
Now, the park hosts more than 2,400, which is two-thirds of the world’s population
Image credits: Jonas Stenqvist
However, more people were shot dead by park guards then the number of rhinos killed by poachers
Image credits: PA
These people all went after rhino horn, as they could be sold for as much as $6,000 for 100g
Image credits: Emma Gatland
They are mostly marketed as a miracle cure for everything from cancer to erectile dysfunction
Image credits: Rudi Hulshof
So yes, rhinos do need protection, but this has gone too far
Image credits: Martin Harvey
National park’s workers can kill a person and get away with impunity
Image credits: Sebastien Degardin
The question is, could this kind of punishment ever be justified?And how many innocent people were killed?
Image credits: Michael Spain
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Poachers know the risks when they try to kill endangered species. Something has got to be done. This isn't too far.
Juan, I live in Kenya, Africa. People do not poach these animals for meat. No one does it not for close to 30 years now. The motivation is always the horns. Elephants are killed, de-horned and the carcass decompose. No one takes the meat. Currently, Kenya has the last three northern white rhinoes and they are past the point of reproduction. If such measures were taken, maybe these rhinoes would not be in this situation.
Brian, I am South African and I agree with you totally. I cannot find it in myself to have pity for or sympathy or empathy for people who kill dumb (can't speak) animals. I know people are poor; they need to put a roof over their heads and food on the talbe; there is no justification for this at all. Running after $$, hell no.
I agree. Such actions must be taken by government of Kenya like India.
Its so sad Kemboi, they should give Maasais incentive to help protect the animals. I am surprised Nairobi national park has survived this long on prime land. Poor or not, destroying the eco system by wiping out some species is unnacceptable, just ask Americans how yellowstone started dying when they eradicated wolves.
Brian, I think Juan meant the money coming from the horns, not the meat itself
What happened to the Black Rhino?
Juan, there is ALWAYS a choice. Poaching isn't the only option. By this logic, all highly illegal activities should be justified if needed to feed families- drug dealers, child traffickers, those who buy and sell in sex slavery ... these people should be protected because they are making ends meet?
The thing is that drug dealers, child traffickers and other illegal groups do meet the same faith if they don't surrender when the police catch them. If they aim for innocent people they get shot too. The poachers don't have to get shot if they give up when they're getting caught in the act, but apparently they don't... so I would like to turn the question, why not protect innocent animals in the same way as we protect people?
Yay they are not innocent they should die I'm on the parks side
As I human being I approve this method!
Totally agree. By the way, I cannot see poachers as innocent people, like they said.
Yes they should now the ricks when they try to kill one and so this is definitely not too far
no is not. poachers do for their profit, therefore shoot them is not a homicide but protect creatures that are slaughtered for their horns , that allegedly cure sickess (of course there is no scientific proof of that ),and considering the cost of the powder are not dying the poor people but only the wealthy ones can afford such.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Sure, they know the risks. But maybe some of them dont have any other choice to feed their families. Lots of poaching in africa is meat-motivated, and if your (the boredpandas) governments dont really change their stance towards importing illegal stuff like animal parts and diamonds for little money and then selling them expensive... Nothing is gonna change. Shooting humans is disgusting.
Do you know how expensive the gun is to kill a rhino? It's not a couple hundred dollars. The amount of money it takes to sustain a family in a 3rd world country is minimal and the amount it costs to purchase that gun could sustain the family for years. Stop providing excuses for people and start realizing that they are responsible for their actions as well as the reprocussions of them
There is more than one way to make money. Poaching isn't the only way. If you choose to enter a hussle that has death as a consequence, then so be it.
Your logic doesn't make sense.
I meant this to Juan btw
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
PJ... good judging people while drinking tea from porcelaine cups
I'm actually drinking from a can right now and I hate tea. Don't presume to know things about people because they disagree. I could say the same thing about you. Have you seen poverty? Impoverished people don't need to kill endangered species thus effecting an entire eco system. They need food, water, homes, and compassion, I can honestly say I have never met someone in poverty that said "one piece of ivory would save my life".
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
thank you Juan! Apparently people who make comments on Bored Panda see the world in the same colours as them (pandas): black and white!
I am human... and I approve this approach.
YES I want them to be killed...they respect nothing but personal profit and care nothing about the rest of life that shares this planet. They themselves have proven there is no other way to stop them, so they can rot on the ground for all I care.
I am human too, and I approve of this approach as well.
When there are 7 billion rhinos we'll talk.
So you want them to be killed ??
rino poachers... ummm... yeah they can be killed, no loss of sleep here.
Yes, absolutely
Ah, HELLA YES!! One bullet between the eyes, then skin them alive, chop off their head and paws as they do lions... chop off their protruding parts (ears, nose, tongue, nipples, penis, etc) as they do to elephants & rhino horns... then leave them right were they were killed... to ROT! just like they do to the wildlife! HELL YA! Shoot to Kill On Site!
Some of them, yeah.
Prashant, you are funny, and SO AGREE with you!!!
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
I guess I'm an animal since I can't agree with this: a person should not kill other person, no matter the reason
Even the Bible says, "An Eye for An Eye"! These lowlife scum have proven time and again NOTHING else will stop them. They respect nothing but GREED! The government and the politians have also proven just how absolutely corrupt they are too. Even when a poacher is brought in alive to stand trial, they either "mysteriously disappear" from the jail before trail, or the judge sets them free with minimal bail. This has been going on for years and getting worse, not better. Somebody has to stand up for these animals. Something has to be done that WORKS! Eleminate the threat... then it doesn't come back... NEXT!
.The question is how many innocent Rhinos and other species may have been killed? Ask that too.....
1,175 rhinos poached and killed in 2015 alone. So extremely sad
But. It by the rangers.
Poachers know the risks when they try to kill endangered species. Something has got to be done. This isn't too far.
Juan, I live in Kenya, Africa. People do not poach these animals for meat. No one does it not for close to 30 years now. The motivation is always the horns. Elephants are killed, de-horned and the carcass decompose. No one takes the meat. Currently, Kenya has the last three northern white rhinoes and they are past the point of reproduction. If such measures were taken, maybe these rhinoes would not be in this situation.
Brian, I am South African and I agree with you totally. I cannot find it in myself to have pity for or sympathy or empathy for people who kill dumb (can't speak) animals. I know people are poor; they need to put a roof over their heads and food on the talbe; there is no justification for this at all. Running after $$, hell no.
I agree. Such actions must be taken by government of Kenya like India.
Its so sad Kemboi, they should give Maasais incentive to help protect the animals. I am surprised Nairobi national park has survived this long on prime land. Poor or not, destroying the eco system by wiping out some species is unnacceptable, just ask Americans how yellowstone started dying when they eradicated wolves.
Brian, I think Juan meant the money coming from the horns, not the meat itself
What happened to the Black Rhino?
Juan, there is ALWAYS a choice. Poaching isn't the only option. By this logic, all highly illegal activities should be justified if needed to feed families- drug dealers, child traffickers, those who buy and sell in sex slavery ... these people should be protected because they are making ends meet?
The thing is that drug dealers, child traffickers and other illegal groups do meet the same faith if they don't surrender when the police catch them. If they aim for innocent people they get shot too. The poachers don't have to get shot if they give up when they're getting caught in the act, but apparently they don't... so I would like to turn the question, why not protect innocent animals in the same way as we protect people?
Yay they are not innocent they should die I'm on the parks side
As I human being I approve this method!
Totally agree. By the way, I cannot see poachers as innocent people, like they said.
Yes they should now the ricks when they try to kill one and so this is definitely not too far
no is not. poachers do for their profit, therefore shoot them is not a homicide but protect creatures that are slaughtered for their horns , that allegedly cure sickess (of course there is no scientific proof of that ),and considering the cost of the powder are not dying the poor people but only the wealthy ones can afford such.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Sure, they know the risks. But maybe some of them dont have any other choice to feed their families. Lots of poaching in africa is meat-motivated, and if your (the boredpandas) governments dont really change their stance towards importing illegal stuff like animal parts and diamonds for little money and then selling them expensive... Nothing is gonna change. Shooting humans is disgusting.
Do you know how expensive the gun is to kill a rhino? It's not a couple hundred dollars. The amount of money it takes to sustain a family in a 3rd world country is minimal and the amount it costs to purchase that gun could sustain the family for years. Stop providing excuses for people and start realizing that they are responsible for their actions as well as the reprocussions of them
There is more than one way to make money. Poaching isn't the only way. If you choose to enter a hussle that has death as a consequence, then so be it.
Your logic doesn't make sense.
I meant this to Juan btw
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
PJ... good judging people while drinking tea from porcelaine cups
I'm actually drinking from a can right now and I hate tea. Don't presume to know things about people because they disagree. I could say the same thing about you. Have you seen poverty? Impoverished people don't need to kill endangered species thus effecting an entire eco system. They need food, water, homes, and compassion, I can honestly say I have never met someone in poverty that said "one piece of ivory would save my life".
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
thank you Juan! Apparently people who make comments on Bored Panda see the world in the same colours as them (pandas): black and white!
I am human... and I approve this approach.
YES I want them to be killed...they respect nothing but personal profit and care nothing about the rest of life that shares this planet. They themselves have proven there is no other way to stop them, so they can rot on the ground for all I care.
I am human too, and I approve of this approach as well.
When there are 7 billion rhinos we'll talk.
So you want them to be killed ??
rino poachers... ummm... yeah they can be killed, no loss of sleep here.
Yes, absolutely
Ah, HELLA YES!! One bullet between the eyes, then skin them alive, chop off their head and paws as they do lions... chop off their protruding parts (ears, nose, tongue, nipples, penis, etc) as they do to elephants & rhino horns... then leave them right were they were killed... to ROT! just like they do to the wildlife! HELL YA! Shoot to Kill On Site!
Some of them, yeah.
Prashant, you are funny, and SO AGREE with you!!!
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
I guess I'm an animal since I can't agree with this: a person should not kill other person, no matter the reason
Even the Bible says, "An Eye for An Eye"! These lowlife scum have proven time and again NOTHING else will stop them. They respect nothing but GREED! The government and the politians have also proven just how absolutely corrupt they are too. Even when a poacher is brought in alive to stand trial, they either "mysteriously disappear" from the jail before trail, or the judge sets them free with minimal bail. This has been going on for years and getting worse, not better. Somebody has to stand up for these animals. Something has to be done that WORKS! Eleminate the threat... then it doesn't come back... NEXT!
.The question is how many innocent Rhinos and other species may have been killed? Ask that too.....
1,175 rhinos poached and killed in 2015 alone. So extremely sad
But. It by the rangers.