Female American veteran tracks and dispatches poachers

First time posting from my phone and it is a pain so bear with me. The following quote is from the article.

"Illegal poaching is expected to wipe out all elephants, rhinos, and other iconic wildlife in Africa within our lifetime if nothing is done to curb the practice. Activists are desperate for a solution and they may have finally found one—enlisting the help of combat-trained U.S. Army veterans to train rangers and help to protect the wildlife. Kinessa Johnson is one of those veterans. She served for four years in Afghanistan as a mechanic and weapons instructor. She’s now taking her skills to Africa to combat poachers. Johnson joined Veterans Empowered to Protect African Wildlife (VETPAW), an anti-poaching group made up of former soldiers and ex-Marines who train African rangers in marksmanship, counterintelligence, and field medicine."

Link to site

I think this awesome and a job I could get into. Just goes to show ladies can be badasses too. I'm sure some will not agree that taking a human life to save an animal is morally defensible. However I feel that Arbitrarily slaughtering any animal just for a specific body part or two to satisfy some wealthy windbags ego is an act of evil deserving of a few lead injections in my book.

a reply to: RainbowPhoenix

This did the rounds here a few years back, if I recall correctly.

Its still as good of a story today, as it was then. She does not mess around, clearly.

It's a pity the poachers are so desperate for money they willingly risk their lives

Poachers deserve nothing less than a double tap to the temple.

I'd extend that to all hunters who are not feeding themselves.

What is also awesome and addresses the reasons for poaching in the first place is their HEALS program ...

HEALS gives veterans diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) an outlet for healing while also acquiring valuable trade skills.

- and -

HEALS will also augment VETPAW’s mission by offering those formerly engaged in poaching activities an alternative livelihood and reintegration into their communities.

HEALS will offer agricultural and animal husbandry education to Tanzanian communities in the region of VETPAW’s ranger training program. This will be provided via a team of veterans trained by HEALS in agronomic and livestock issues, with an emphasis on increasing culturally-relevant crop yields, sustainable land use, and more efficient livestock management.

Emphasis will be placed on culturally relevant crops: Cassava, sorghum, rice, millet, coffee, banana, area-specific fruits and cashews

Very impressive.

vetpaw.org...

Agreed raggedy.. I'll venture the circumstances leading one to become a poacher are not what most of us living a (more or less) comfortable existance could fathom.

Edit, just saw post above mine and am also impressed with progams offering alternate means for ex-poachers. Obviously the best solution for the problem..

I'm for it. They are protected for a reason. Kill them, well, the poachers know the risks now. Every year the stakes are higher.

-Alee

originally posted by: zosimov
Agreed raggedy.. I'll venture the circumstances leading one to become a poacher are not what most of us living a (more or less) comfortable existance could fathom.

There is little to no sympathy for those of us who must take drastic measures to survive.

The willingness to judge them harshly is strong however. Says a lot about our species.

a reply to: RainbowPhoenix

I bet she could slice a sandwitch from 300 yards with that rifle!
I kid!

Nothing more enticing than badass women doing badass things. Mechanic too!

originally posted by: corvuscorrax

originally posted by: zosimov
Agreed raggedy.. I'll venture the circumstances leading one to become a poacher are not what most of us living a (more or less) comfortable existance could fathom.

There is little to no sympathy for those of us who must take drastic measures to survive.

The willingness to judge them harshly is strong however. Says a lot about our species.

It's crazy people tend to be more forgiving when it comes to the rapaciousness of the wealthy than that of the poor!

a reply to: RainbowPhoenix

I'm sure some will not agree that taking a human life to save an animal is morally defensible.

That's not exactly what's going on either. I don't know where the figure in the blog post comes from and I suspect it's a bit inflated but more reliable sources I've read report that on average two African park rangers are killed per week.

For example, according to this National Geographic (March 2016) article, in just Virunga National Park, 150 park rangers have been killed in the last decade:

The execution of two rangers in Virunga National Park by anti-government rebels has pushed losses of the guardians of this vast reserve in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo above 150 during the past decade. A third ranger went missing in the attack

The Independent among others had that story too, There is no intention to kill anyone other than in self defence, and she's actually there to train the rangers who can come up against armed poachers, to make the right kinds of decisions.



www.independent.co.uk...

a reply to: RainbowPhoenix

Being honest it's bigger than hunting game, these poachers need to be approached in a militaristic fashion.

Fact is, the majority of these poachers are desperate and armed, the game keepers or rangers if you will are afraid to approach these poachers and with good reason.

They are armed with AKs and will kill people simply put.

People paying to hunt endangered animals is a different topic, sometimes it's done in order to keep the numbers in check and/or to help combat disease, I can understand that. But on the other hand if hunting endangered animals isn't done for humane reasons them these people should be jailed.

We need more international laws concerning that I'd assume, poachers however should be dealt with harshly. They'd shoot you, no doubt about it. So how else can you deal with them.

Poverty plays into it obviously, however poachers chose to break the law. Are armed and dangerous.

originally posted by: Hazardous1408
Poachers deserve nothing less than a double tap to the temple.

I'd extend that to all hunters who are not feeding themselves.

It only takes one from .308 ar-10 in the hands of someone who knows how to use it.
Which she clearly does.

a reply to: RainbowPhoenix

Wow, what a woman, not only is she deadly but she's gorgeous too, the second last pic is so hot....

How very noble for a much needed cause. Hope more are inspired to join her. I'd love to if the circumstances were right, as a non Veteran.