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Impact Of Hunting On Tropical Forests

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In the article Impacts of Hunting on Tropical Forests in Southeast Asia, by Harrison and others, the authors examine how a wide variety of factors have influenced hunting practices in Southeast Asia and led to a rapid decline in animal populations in the region. According to the criteria outlined by Clark, the problem in this article is well defined: the practices employed by hunters are unsustainable and indiscriminate, destroying large numbers of vulnerable and rare animal species. Solutions must be found to protect these species while also respecting the cultural rights of those to hunt.
Hunting in Southeast Asia is largely an informal, indiscriminate activity that is often undertaken by amateurs. “Hunters often venture out without a specific quarry in mind or hunting may be incidental to other activities...Indiscriminate methods, such as snares and gum traps (for birds), are commonplace, and even hunters with shotguns frequently shoot smaller quarry.” (Harrison, 2016, Pg. 975)
Because little emphasis is placed on selecting certain species, rare and endangered species often fall victim to non-selective hunting methods, but certain species can be purposefully targeted as well. “…the highest value items, such as elephant ivory, rhinoceros horn, tiger bones, turtles, and pangolin, are inevitably traded illegally to Vietnam or China… Indeed, the killing of a rare animal is sometimes celebrated because of its rarity (Harrison, 2016, Pg. 975).
Although hunting is

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