Forest Forensics Provide Details About Poachers' Preferences
Illegal harvesting of natural materials is a global problem, but is especially prominent in areas where poverty-stricken residents rely on these goods as sources of energy or food and as components of handicrafts, tools, and/or buildings. Although local law enforcement agencies may try to restrict harvesting, they often don't arrive at the scene of the crime until the damage has already been done. However, a team of collaborators from Kenya's University of Nairobi and Japan's Yokohama National University and Yokohama City University suggest that a bit of ecological sleuthing can reveal details about poachers' "patterns and preferences"--information that may allow the creation of better management policies that are helpful to both humans and wildlife. read more