PATROL - VOLUME 20

Landscapes and Appropriate Land Use

In the 1970s, Kenya was a leader in game ranching research, and Kenyan professor David Hopcraft was one of the pioneers. As a teenager, he was fascinated with desertification processes, and finding a solution to this problem became his life's mission. 

After completing a master's degree at Cornell University, Hopcraft received a grant from the United States National Science Foundation to study the model of wildlife ranching as a viable means of land use. He started his research on a cattle ranch by putting up fenced enclosures with cattle on the one side and antelope on the other.

Unsung Heroes: The Gamekeepers of Spain (5-minute Video)

In the rugged landscapes of Spain, gamekeepers of Spain emerge as the unsung guardians of wilderness. Their role extends beyond preserving ecosystems; they are the frontline defenders against poaching.

What Is It That We Are Trying to Achieve?

We have been successful in shaping the environment to best suit our needs. Agriculture and industrialization evolved through the quest to make life more comfortable, but these activities have impacted the biodiversity of ecosystems around the globe. 

Biodiversity is an essential indicator of ecological functioning. The decrease in biodiversity is strongly correlated with reductions in ecosystem stability. The emotionally driven preference for one species over another based on bias and unfounded rationale has been and still is a cause for loss in biodiversity.

Over fifty years ago, American policymakers attempted to correct this bias with the 1966 Endangered Species Preservation Act, the first U.S. endangered species legislation. With the expert guidance of scientific bodies, the Secretary of the Interior was responsible for listing threatened species.

Snarebusters: Dealing with Different Levels and Types of Poaching (8-minute Video)

When Snarebusters undertake snare removal operations, they encounter various types of snares and traps, which can be divided into groups. From small subsistence snaring to poaching with rifles and dogs, these wildlife warriors have seen it all.

Eugene Troskie heads up Snarebusters and has incredible insight into how the poachers go about their despicable business. He has many stories of poaching incidents and how they have tackled this vile scourge over the years.