Today we learned about wildlife trade in our lecture. It was quite sad. I didn't realize how much politics affects pretty much everything. I have put up some pictures below to explain some of what is being traded internationally. Don't look at them if you are easily grossed out.
BEWARE - GRUESOME PICTURES BELOW
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| Ivory - this one most people know about |
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| Seahorses - used for medicinal purposes, around 16 million....the problem is, how do you know if they're close to extinction...you don't. |
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| Many different types of turtles are traded - they are usually left to dry out and then the shells can be used for jewelry or things like fish hooks. |
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| Loris - the only venomous primate. People pull their teeth out and try to sell them as pets or others will kill them and use them for medicinal purposes. |
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| Bears - killed for their gallbladder along with other parts. |
Today this class made me think about what am I really purchasing and also how animals are brought/traded into zoos. This news just announced not too long ago:
The Javan Rhino has been declared extinct. Do you know why? Because of people. Rhino's are poached and then parts of them (horns) are used in trading. People believe the crushed up bone cures cancer. Like my teacher said today, if you use it and still don't have cancer of course you're going to think that it actually works and is preventing it.
Sorry this posting was so depressing. :(
On a happier note, we went into a forest today and measured distances from trees with different electronic devices and tape measurements and also their circumferences. It was kind of fun :) This is more useful for when we are in the field and need to measure the distance we saw a monkey.
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