Zimbabwe elephants poisoned by cyanide

More than 80 elephants have been killed for their ivory by poachers who used cyanide to poison a water hole in Zimbabwe's largest game park.

Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi confirmed the toll on Tuesday after touring Hwange National Park.

Wildlife department officials said the chemical also killed smaller animals and predators which feed on them.

www.bbc.co.uk...

So the poachers are sinking to new lows to get their Ivory.

reply to post by EnigmaAgent


I think some A-Team justice needs to be served, maybe someone should hunt them down?

reply to post by EnigmaAgent


My God, how sad. It is really sickening that someone would destroy such beautiful and innocent creatures. So many of them too! Are these poachers desperate or are they really that unfeeling?

i]reply to post by aboutface


Desperate? Yes! For more money!

Feelingless? Yes!

Dregs of the earth? Definitely!

But the point is if there wasn't a market this wouldn't be happening. Anyone who buys ivory these days is as guilty as the person who pulled the trigger, laid the trap or poisoned the waterhole! May they, their children and their childrens children rot in hell!

And to those who came into this thread after me to lambast me for my opinion, fire away, see if I care!!



This is what a Rhino looks like after it has had its horn savagely removed, sometimes using a chainsaw, and often without anaesthetic! Can any one of us even try to imagine the pain the creature must have gone through during the "procedure" and afterwards when it was left there to bleed to death? I know I can't, my mind just won't let me go there, my whole body reacts when I try and think about it!

reply to post by wiser3


Very saddening indeed...

However, generally they cut the horns/tusks off once they have shot and killed the Rhino or Elephant.

Those who are caught poaching Elephants or Rhinos should recieve the same treatment, but without being shot first!

See how much they scream when chainsawing their noses or other bodily appendages off!

Kindest respects

Rodinus

Its a real shame theres nothing valuable on the poachers worth killing them for

eye for an eye, tusk for a tusk.

Rodinus
reply to post by wiser3

 

However, generally they cut the horns/tusks off once they have shot and killed the Rhino or Elephant.

edit on 27-9-2013 by Rodinus because: Phrase added

Hi Rodinus

Long time no chat!!! Glad to see you again!

Actually many poachers are no longer shooting the animals as it can draw attention to them! Many animals are being caught and butchered alive, reference the recent report on one of the British MSM news channels regarding Rhino poaching, which left a South African Game Ranger in tears after he described the death of one of the Rhino which he and others had attempted to nurse back to health after being butchered "Alive"!

I agree a painful death by bleeding should be handed to anyone caught poaching or receiving/buying products which are from poached animals!

Any person caught abusing an animal mentally or physically should also be harshly sentenced, not necessarily death but definitely not as lightly as they are getting off these days, a fine and not allowed to keep animals for a year or two, what sort of deterrent is that?

ps. I have edited my first post to change "always" to "often"!

reply to post by wiser3


Hiya Wiser,

Good to have a chance to answer to one of your threads

Thanks for clarifying that... i totally agree on every point in your answer.

Kindest respects

Rodinus

Pardon my ignorance, but why IS there a market for these tusks?

What possible use of ivory could justify the murder of these noble creatures?

Thank you in advance for educating me!

reply to post by Metallicus



Only 1% of the African elephant population remains from 100 years ago. Ivory poaching is no longer an opportunistic crime carried out by individuals, it is perpetrated by highly sophisticated, heavily armed units of poachers who are wreaking havoc amongst the elephant and rhino populations of Africa.

Generally tasked by offshore organized crime syndicates to pursue ivory, these units employ vehicles, high powered rifles, radios and, in some cases, helicopters in conjunction with military style tactics to wipe out their targets.

Killing for tusks is a particularly gruesome trade. Elephants are highly intelligent animals whose sophisticated social ties are exploited by poachers. They will often shoot young elephants to draw in a grieving parent.

Extra info here :

www.iapf.org...

and here :

The poaching of elephants for ivory, meat, hide and other parts (mainly for use in traditional medicine) is still prevalent in many countries across Asia. Despite worldwide protection through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Treaty, the value placed on elephant products, particularly ivory, the lack of effective enforcement and the remoteness of areas of elephant habitat means that there are those that still kill elephants for profit.

79.170.40.37...

Kindest respects

Rodinus

Metallicus
Pardon my ignorance, but why IS there a market for these tusks?

What possible use of ivory could justify the murder of these noble creatures?

Thank you in advance for educating me!

edit on 2013/9/27 by Metallicus because: sp

you never heard rhino horn and elephant tusk cure every thing, fevers, nosebleeds, convulsions, stroke. best use make you horny. also humming bird eyelash that put vim in the wang, that old chinese traditional medicine.

i tried my best to type it in a chinese broken english. it sounds better if you hear it.

but on a more serious note, check out this link and you will see why they do this.
Traditional Chinese Medicine’

What I find really saddening and upsetting is the fact that this thread is already in its death throws! Start a thread about Elvis or Miley Cyrus or or or.....and it will go on for years, pages and thousands of responses! Peoples priorities give me the willies!

This is going to tick the aliens off more!!

Like the icing on the cake....

The straw that broke the camels back....

reply to post by Metallicus


What country you think wants the tusks??

reply to post by EnigmaAgent

I am almost speechless.And now this idea will catch on-there are Plenty of unemployed but perfectly employable+able-bodied people in Africa-the solution is to train them up and arm them to guard the waterholes,from towers built nearby.
I am fixating only on a solution here,the rest is too sickening to think of.

reply to post by wiser3

I know my friend I am the same as you-that's why mentally try to go there as little as possible,in such cases but try to foucus on a practical solution.I contacted 3 huge celebrities in my country via Twitter-maybe one of them will take time out of their genuinely busy schedules+see if they can spread this news locally.I know if one of them,an immensely popular singer/entertainer did a benefit concert with full publicity-money WILL be raised for those armed guard anti-poaching towers by the waterholes,which was my 1st thought as a preventative solution-because there Will be copycats.
I share your sadness,Wiser3,be assured of that.

reply to post by Raxoxane


Thanks Rax, I do think you have an idea there and every time this issue is raised, here on ATS or elsewhere, I see the names of (older) members who have been reading and reacting to the threads but every time there are also a couple of new names so hopefully the message, which creates such sadness in those of us who live in Africa, is reaching across the oceans to raise a new awareness!

I still live with hope that this mindless killing can be stopped before it's too late, before too many more animals are cruelly killed in the name of "medicine" or vanity!

Rhino Horn does not cure impotence and no Rhino are killed in the manufacture of vi@gr@!

reply to post by wiser3

Of course there IS one solution which will be very effective-for the world to unite and boycott purchase of any+all Chinese goods,sanctions+refusal of import of all+any chinese products-complete trade embargoes,if that's the right term.Applicable not just to China but any+all nations that house the ones responsible for paying the poachers.

That is how drastic the measures will have to be,to finally start making a real difference.And of course it will never happen-but that is what it would take to send a message that the world is sick of an entire continent's animals(many now critically endangered species) being slaughtered +killed in the cruellest ways imaginable-for the wallets of those taking advantage of the superstitious nonsense believed by so many!

reply to post by Raxoxane


Sad to report that more Rhino have been poached so far this year, to end of September, than in the whole of last year! 2012 = 668 and so far this year the number is 704! Would the lack of reaction have been the same if these had been Pandas? Maybe I am just cynical but I don't believe it would have!

Some idiot politician in Vietnam made an anouncement some time ago that a relative of his had been cured of cancer through the use of Powdered Rhino horn, which can now fetch up to US$300,000.00 PER HORN or US$65,000.00 per kilogram!

Do these idiots not know that Rhino Horn is as effective as a medicine as Human Finger Nails? But there is no market for Finger Nails!

reply to post by Raxoxane


So here we are, still on PAGE ONE and only 8 flags! Did I make a prediction that came true? Sadly yes!

And the Elvis thread is still alive and going strong, with another new thread added doing even better!

Hope is fading fast!

Does it really matter if Elvis is still alive? How old would he be by now? Would he still be able to perform?

And guess what I was and am an Elvis fan but really guys, priorities!!!!???

Elephant and Rhino are being slaughtered, daily!