Some of my good friends are local ex-poachers/now conservationists. They poached not out of gleeful super-villiany, but bc they were struggling to feed their families, often driven by neocolonialism. They're hardworking, excellent trackers. Hot take: I'm glad they're alive today.

Sincerely, nothing gets me angrier than people in the West wishing death upon local people for actions driven by desperation. If you do not live w/ wildlife, which can actually be VERY destructive ( e.g. lions, elephants), you don't understand.

It is so easy to tweet in the UK or the States when you don't have to worry about impacts from wildlife/the fact you receive, often, no benefits for wildlife on your land. It's so easy to be like POACHERS ARE BAD, KILL THEM because, hey, they're not neighbors. Who cares, right?

It's the epitome of Western privilege to value wildlife over the lives of the people who, AND NOT YOU, have this wildlife as their birthright.

And I say that as a biologist.

Not saying that I condone poaching. I don't. But we need to work with these individuals in conservation.

Provide ACTUAL benefits from wildlife, so when they lose their cow to a lion, or get their maize trampled by elephants, they actually have a reason to keep them alive.

'I like lions' when you live in NYC is not a reason.

It is possible to turn poachers into conservationists.

Is it less sexy and more time intensive than wiping out human lives? Sure. But, and I can't believe I have to literally type this out: murder is NOT A GOOD THING.

Poaching should be prosecuted, yes. But in many cases could be avoided if local people were not left with nothing.

If you want to be angry at someone, be angry at the people driving the demand of poaching. The wealthy middle-men, or, perhaps even your fellow Asians, Europeans and Americans who itch for wildlife products.

Don't call for the deaths of local people.

I might get flamed for this, and I literally do not care, because I am tired of this discourse as if it's okay to debate human lives.

Murder is wrong???
Wildlife can be protected???

You don't need a) to accomplish b). Seriously.