Stop Poaching!
By: Jackson Frederick
Whats going on?
Everyday across the earth animals are being hunted nearer and nearer to extinction. We may not notice it here in american but it happens right under our own noses. Even in america Big Horn Sheep, Black Bears, and Great White Sharks are being illegally hunted. We all know it happens everywhere, but in our own backyard?
Bighorn Sheep
In the 1960's and 70's Bighorn Sheep were hunted nearly to extinction. In the 80's America began to get a handle on things and stop poaching. Since then things have gone up hill for the sheep. Although the numbers are not as big as they once were, they are thriving inside of our national parks. Sadly, there is still poaching for these amazing animals. Once their numbers grow too big for the national parks, there is no telling what could happen once they begin to expand around the country.
Bears
As if bears don't have enough problems with lack of environment, lack of prey, and hunters, a bears gallbladder is worth thousands of dollars overseas. In Asia, bear bile is used in traditional medicine and is used to treat fever, liver disease, and diabetes. Asia's bear population has been going down hill for a while and it is especially not okay to kill the bears over seas.
Sharks
Not only just off the coast of america but all across the world, sharks are poached or "finned". Shark finning is the act of cutting off a shark's fins and dumping the rest of the body into the ocean while it is still alive! The shark either bleeds out into the ocean or the more likely option that other small predators slowly bite away at it's body piece by piece. Sharks are poached for theirs fins which are a seafood delicacy. In the US Shark Finning industry is worth $540 million. The average fin is worth as mush as $10,000. Shark finning has only increased since 2012.
Stop Finning
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Website: http://www.stopsharkfinning.net/stop-shark-finning-store/