A Comprehensive Analysis: The Detrimental Effects of Illegal Hunting

This essay examines the serious problem of illegal hunting and its detrimental effects on wildlife populations, ecosystem balance, and overall environmental health. It defines illegal hunting as the unlawful harming or killing of wildlife, including endangered species, using prohibited weapons or methods, and hunting outside legal seasons. The essay highlights the adverse consequences of hunting, such as disrupting animal behavior, causing stress, and affecting family units, particularly in species like wolves. Driven by the black market trade in animal parts for innovation items and curative properties, illegal hunting is a global issue, with the United States ranking high in demand. The disappearance of species due to hunting leads to economic repercussions for local communities. The essay emphasizes the moral and practical reasons to ban hunting, including the pain and suffering inflicted on animals, the disruption of breeding seasons, and the long-term damage to the environment. It concludes by advocating for stricter laws, monitoring, and avoidance of purchasing products made from animal parts to conserve wilderness ecosystems and protect endangered species. Desklib offers additional resources and solved assignments for students.

RUNNING HEAD: Research methods 0
Research methods

Research methods 1
The illegal hunting is a serious problem. It is an illegal harming or killing of wildlife.
It comprises killing endangered species, using illegal weapons and using illegal ways such as
enticing, hunting in the wildlife sanctuary and killing animals outside legal hunting season.
Poaching is a term which is associated with illegal hunting. It is basically killing without a
permit or against the law. The hunting is mainly done by humans for the purpose of food,
rebirth and remove predators which are dangerous.
As per Ndibalema & Songorwa, 2008, illegal hunting has condensed the populace of
quite a few animal species and augmented the threat of environmental disparity. It can have
adverse side effects which distress local communities, wildlife populace and the environment
(Ndibalema & Songorwa, 2008). The implications of hunting results in affecting target
animals which are killed by bullet, arrow or knife. It can have a negative impact on other
animals specifically the dependent young. Hunting animals is linked with the great stress
among the animals. It obstructs their capability to discover and stock food to endure through
the winter. Furthermore, hunting has intense effects on animals like wolves that have tight-
knit family units. According to Von Essen, et al. 2014, Illegal hunting is an offense fuelled by
the black trade of animal parts. The parts of the animals are sold as innovation items and for
the curative properties (Von Essen, et al. 2014). The institution such as the United States Fish
and Wild life Service (USFWS) is making efforts to end hunting animals. The animals are
killed for the profits such as bear gall bladders and big horned sheep are of worth dollar for
the so-called curative properties. The elephants are slayed for their trunks. The United States
is ranked second for the desire to illegally hunting. More than 30,000 elephants are killed in
the last years. The disappearance of the species can have a adverse economic effect on the
local community. As per Mateo‐Tomás, et al. 2012, the destruction is the utmost threat to the
animals which are sufferers of hunting. The Sumatran Tiger is a censoriously endangered
species at present. It is killed and sold parts such as skin, bones, teeth, and claws (Mateo‐
Tomás, et al. 2012). These parts are sold for up to $5000. The illegal hunting is a harsh reality
faced by several individuals and communities.
Hunting is a seasonal activity. According to Manqele, et al. 2018, when the animals
are killed out of season, they endanger the health, longevity and interrupt the breeding
seasons. The illegal hunting causes pain, suffering, and death. It even leads to violence
against humans. It leaves several animals injured when the hunters miss the targets (Manqele,
et al. 2018). The animals like wolves and geese who are a mate for life, hunting can devastate

Research methods 2
whole communities. On the contrary, the strongest animals are killed with the biggest antlers.
The illegal hunting is also hazardous to the atmosphere. At a time when North American
Gray Wolf was on the edge of destruction due to the trophy and illegal hunting then the elk
populations flew. The ecosystems are sensitive and should be preserved. As per Soofi, et al.
2018, leading economic challenges of the community can possibly lead to illegal hunting and
can result in endangerment of various species (Soofi, et al. 2018). The ecosystem requires
several species of flora and fauna in order to be maintained healthy and balanced.
The hunting can be avoided by posting on the land near the hunting areas to avoid
hunting. It is morally wrong to kill animals irrespective of the practical considerations. The
animals should not be hunted and used for the selfish needs of the individuals. The hunting
should be banned in order to avoid imbalance in the environment. The hunting should not be
done as it reduces species population and harms to the wildlife. It is also harmful in the long
term as the environment can be devastating. According to Borgerson, 2015, illegal hunting
not affects to the animals being but also the survival of other species. The countless methods
used by individuals create inbreeding issues and should be totally banned. The hunting should
be avoided so that animals can be reserved for a long time as it reflects the heritage. The
hunting is considered to interfere with hibernation and migration of the animals. When the
hunters look for the forests, it results in destroying natural environments along with the
carbon footprints. On the other hand, the laws can be enforced to ban illegal hunting. The
laws can be formed to proper monitoring and managing the illegal hunting to converse
wilderness ecosystem. It can also be supported by avoiding the purchase of the products
made from animal parts.

Research methods 3
References
Borgerson, C. (2015). The effects of illegal hunting and habitat on two sympatric endangered
primates. International Journal of Primatology, 36(1), 74-93.
Manqele, N. S., Selier, J. A., Hill, T. R., & Downs, C. T. (2018). Drivers of the illegal
hunting of serval (Leptailurus serval) and oribi (Ourebia ourebi) in the KwaZulu-
Natal Midlands, South Africa. African Journal of Wildlife Research, 48(2).
Mateo‐Tomás, P., Olea, P. P., Sánchez‐Barbudo, I. S., & Mateo, R. (2012). Alleviating
human–wildlife conflicts: identifying the causes and mapping the risk of illegal poisoning of
wild fauna. Journal of Applied Ecology, 49(2), 376-385.
Ndibalema, V. G., & Songorwa, A. N. (2008). Illegal meat hunting in Serengeti: dynamics in
consumption and preferences. African Journal of Ecology, 46(3), 311-319.
Soofi, M., Ghoddousi, A., Zeppenfeld, T., Shokri, S., Soufi, M., Egli, L., ... & Filla, M.
(2018). Assessing the relationship between illegal hunting of ungulates, wild prey
occurrence and livestock depredation rate by large carnivores. Journal of Applied
Ecology.
Von Essen, E., Hansen, H. P., Nordström Källström, H., Peterson, M. N., & Peterson, T. R.
(2014). Deconstructing the poaching phenomenon: a review of typologies for
understanding illegal hunting. British Journal of Criminology, 54(4), 632-651.