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| IAPF rangers. Image credit: National Geographic. |
A powerful cause for the fight against poaching in Africa is The International Anti-Poaching Foundation (IAPF), stationed in Zimbabwe. It works using military-style tactics and equipment to put a stop to illegal harvesting on protected lands such as the Stanley & Livingstone Private Game Reserve. They take a proactive, direct approach to animal conservation with technology such as remote-controlled UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) to see from above and catch poachers.
Zimbabwe is in trouble. According to WWF anti-poaching advocate Tom Melliken, “Because Zimbabwe is still under sanctions from the European Union and the United States, government aid money is not coming to beef up the wildlife sector.” As such, poaching has increased greatly.
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| Damien Mander launching one of IAPF's UAVs. Image credit: IAPF, Wikipedia Commons. |
The illegal wildlife trade trails behind human trafficking and narcotics as the third most lucrative illegal market, making $20,000,000,000 per year. Rhino horn, elephant tusks, lion parts, hooves, organs-- the list goes on and on. It's an almost impossible juggernaut of a business to track, let alone stop.
The most ironic part about the rhino horn trade is that rhino horn has absolutely NO HEALTH BENEFITS AT ALL. None. It's made of KERATIN, or HAIR, and does not act as an aphrodisiac or cure for illness. It's like eating a fingernail clipping. And yet, and yet, this giant fingernail sells for $60,000 a kilo and results in the death of hundreds to thousands of rhinos per year. According to www.savetherhino.org, 1,004 were killed in 2013, more than ever before in 21st century. More than 172 have been killed so far in 2014 (March 14th census).
The IAPF often faces negative criticism and disapproval from locals who don't see the value in wildlife conservation. It is also hard for the organization to provide locals incentive to join, as Zimbabwe has a 90% unemployment rate and the ranger salary is $250 per month (a lot less than one can make poaching).
But guess what? There are ways that the average tourist can help. Even if you can't become a ranger...
...you can do a simple fundraiser:
The organization was founded by Damien Mander, an Iraqi War veteran, former Australian naval clearance diver, and special operations sniper. He grew up thinking of animals as creatures to be hunted, negligible. Watch his no-nonsense TED talk discover what made him change:
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| Damien Mander, founder of the IAPF. Image credit: IAPF, Wikipedia Commons. |
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