Wildlife Crime: Why Do Local Communities Poach?

Excerpt:

In discussions around southern Africa’s wildlife crime challenges, is usually assumed that there is a high degree of engagement by communities that live adjacent to national parks. Common wisdom suggests that this is predominantly for economic reasons, but a recent research study undertaken by Global Initiative member Annette Hübschle-Finch suggests that motivations vary in communities adjacent to the Kruger National Park. Her granular analysis, which included interviews with poachers and community members between 2012-15, shows that communities that live either inside or on the edge of national parks do not form homogenous groups of people that consists of both poachers and villagers who all benefit equally from rhino poaching, and that a more nuanced approach is needed.