If you witness illegal activity, report it to your local natural resources police officer at (844) 484-7367 or on facebook.com/DNRpolice and cooperate throughout the investigation.
The Modern Meaning of Poaching
The word poaching typically evokes imagery of illegally killing endangered animals for their valuable byproducts. Examples of illegal poaching activities include but are not limited to shooting a trophy buck from a vehicle and eradicating wild ginseng from a forest are also types of poaching.
Motivations Behind Poaching in the Social Media Era
Unfortunately, poaching continues to be a problem for many reasons. For some people, hunting is a big part of their identity, making it important for them to be perceived as great hunters. Social media plays a large part in our lives, and some individuals crave acceptance in the form of likes, shares, or comments from peers. This often motivates people to make bad decisions. A trophy buck harvested seems to be the perfect “selfie moment” in or out of season.
The Dark Side of Wildlife Trafficking and Black Market Profits
Oftentimes, these poachers get more attention than poachers who harvest the more “exotic” animals within our state. Fueled by a flourishing black market, interconnected by the internet, poachers can ransack entire ecosystems to make money. Profits are so high, in fact, that Florida reptile dealer Michael Ellard traveled to West Virginia on three occasions and illegally captured at least 140 wood turtles to sell. He was subsequently charged for criminal activity under the Lacey Act.