Poaching

I am a secret that hurts animals. I move like a shadow through forests and across grassy plains, but I am not an animal myself. I don't have claws or fur. I am an idea—a bad one. I am the reason a mother elephant might suddenly disappear, or why a beautiful tiger is taken from its home. I am a quiet, sad feeling that happens when an animal is hunted or trapped against the rules. People made these rules to keep animals safe, but I am what happens when those rules are broken. I am the name for a promise that is not kept. My name is Poaching.

I was not always such a big problem. A very, very long time ago, most people hunted animals just for food to feed their families. But then, things started to change. In places like England, around the year 1066, powerful kings decided that some forests were only for them to hunt in. If anyone else hunted there, it was called poaching, and it was against the law. That's when I started to get my name. As hundreds of years passed, I grew into a much bigger and sadder problem. In the 1800s, it wasn't just about hunting for food anymore. Some people wanted elephant tusks, which are made of a beautiful white material called ivory, to make things like piano keys and jewelry. They wanted the amazing striped fur from tigers and spotted fur from leopards to make fancy coats. I became all about money, and this was very dangerous for animals. I am the reason that so many of these amazing creatures started to disappear from the world.

But here is the most important part of my story: because I am a sad, shadowy idea, people can make me go away with light. The light is made of caring and bravery. All around the world, there are heroes called rangers who protect animals from me. They are like guardians of the wild, watching over the animals to keep them safe. And on March 3rd, 1973, countries from all over the world made a big promise to each other. This agreement is called CITES. It's a special promise to work together to protect animals and plants from the dangers of illegal trading. You can be a hero, too. When you learn about rhinos, parrots, and sea turtles, you shine a light on me. When you promise to never want a souvenir made from a wild animal, you make me smaller and smaller. You can help make the world a place where I don't exist at all, and every animal can be safe and free.