April 2011: The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) launched an online debate series, titled “World Conservation Debate,” which will replace the previously published biannual magazine, “World Conservation.” Each quarter, World Conservation Debate will feature an article on a key conservation issue and open up to comments from readers.

The current issue features an article by Olivia Pasini on the escalating battle between poachers and park rangers, and the need to protect the people who risk their lives for nature. The article suggests that the bulk of the poaching is no longer “subsistence poaching,” where bushmeat is occasionally consumed by local families or illegal wildlife smuggled out of the park, but rather the making of highly-organised networks that use helicopters, night-vision equipment, veterinary tranquilizers and silencers.

The article highlights that funds put towards combating wildlife crime pale in comparison with the revenue made by criminals, noting that INTERPOL’s annual budget for wildlife protection is US$300,000—the value of about nine elephants’ tusks. John Scanlon, Secretary General of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), observes that while significant international financing and efforts are directed at planning for the future, not enough attention is paid to dealing with what is happening right now. [Publication: World Conservation Debate]