- Sep 14, 2011
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Kenya: Poacher shot dead after his gang killed an elephant
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Wildlife rangers killed an armed poacher in a shootout after he and others infiltrated a private ranch and shot dead an elephant, Kenya Wildlife Service said Tuesday.
A rifle and bullets were recovered at the scene of the shootout in Choke Ranch in Kenya's south, and the surviving poachers fled before they could cut off the elephant tusks, the service said.
Human rights groups have accused wildlife rangers of executing suspects. A report released by the Muslims for Human Rights group last year accused some rangers of executing suspected poachers to cover their involvement with them.
The years 2011, 2012 and 2013 witnessed the highest levels of poaching since a poaching crisis in the 1980s, the service said.
Poaching declined last year with 164 elephants and 35 rhinos killed, down from 302 elephants and 59 rhinos killed in 2013. Officials attributed the decline partially to stiffer penalties adopted last year for those involved in the illegal wildlife business.
I recently saw that poachers will be killed on sight.
Fine with me. Mow them down. Shoot every single one of them.
Sadly, these people have very few choices about making a living. Nonetheless, we can't stand by while they wipe out entire species.