1. Illegal hunting is the illegal trapping, shooting, and taking ofgame or fish from public or private property. Perpetrators of this crime commit it mainly for commercialprofit, which means they kill animals illegally and sell their partsand hides. Illegal hunting has led to a serious reduction and even extinctionof many species. This year, it was determined that 8 out of 10 elephant deaths arecaused by poachers. In 2011, 73 million sharks were killed for their fins. In 2011, more than 440 rhinos were poached for their horns. Thisyear the number has already reached 281 and the years just a littleover half over. The black market value of poaching and wildlife smuggling is $32billion.

2. The Colorado Division of Wildlife (DOW) has consistently playeda major role in the illegal hunting issue. Their mission is to protect,preserve, enhance, and manage wildlife for the use, benefit, andenjoyment of people of the state as well as visitors. The DOW enacts wildlife laws to attend to three purposes: publicsafety, wildlife management, and ethical considerations. The DOW has wildlife officers and certified peace officers thatmaintain a presence in local communities by checking for properhunting licenses and assisting in emergency situations regardingwildlife. 3. Perry Will is the Colorado Division of Wildlifes Area WildlifeManager and Supervisor. Perry works in the Glenwood Springs area and has been workingwith the Division for over 30 years. In 1996, Perry received the John D. Hart Wildlife Officer of theYear award. This is the highest honor given by the DOW. 4. The DOW utilizes a strategic plan that contains ManagementPrinciples, which provide guidance to the agency in establishingand employing their goals. The plan is divided intohunting, fishing, wildlife awareness, and wildlife speciesmanagement and habitat. There are 42 desired achievements andthe DOW hopes to accomplish them all. Colorado is also part of the Wildlife Interstate ViolatorCompact, which indicates that violators can be held accountableacross state lines for violation of wildlife laws. It includes 34 otherstates in addition to Colorado. 5. The DOW has identified that its biggest challenge is targetingillegal hunting and other illegal activities committed against thewildlife of Colorado. It is so difficult to catch poachers as they use a variety oftechniques to disguise what they are doing. They often usethermal imaging devices, radios, ATVs, and GPS to increase theirability to poach without being discovered. 6. DOW officers work long, hard hours to catch these poachers andbring them to justice. They use their own technological resourcesand organize team efforts throughout Colorado. DOW officers have specialized training and are educated insecurity and handling. Field patrol by wildlife officers is extremely important as itprovides direct contact and exchanges of information to thosewith licenses. Officers contact those that are actively involved in hunting tocheck for licenses. The DOW also tries to educate the public and get them toparticipate by reporting such crimes as the illegal taking ofanimals. 7. Through various surveys and other findings, it has becomeobvious that the illegal hunting issue is at the forefront of manyColorado residents minds. Even as far back as 1999, a surveyconducted found that 78% of Colorado residents believe enforcingexisting wildlife laws is a top priority for the DOW. If a Colorado citizen sees a poaching incident happen atanytime, they can report it through hotlines, such as OperationGame Thief. Residents of Colorado may also make donations to our variouswildlife funds and organizations. Habitat stamps can also be purchased and each goes towardspreserving every little bit of Colorados critical habitat. It is crucial to remember that poaching is not only a crime againstanimals, but also against us and the conservation of our beautifulstate. 8. Operation Game Thief is a Colorado Parks and Wildlife program.It pays rewards to citizens who turn in poachers. People who callthe hotline do not need to reveal their names. Any reports, frombig game to fish, are strongly encouraged if seen. Since 1981, the program has received more than 2,400 reports ofpoaching and convicted 700 violators. This has led to the seizureand release of more than 1,300 illegally-taken animals. Crimes can be reported to Operation Game Thief through email orby phone at 1-877-COLO-OGT. 9. You can visit the DOWs website at:http://wildlife.state.co.us/Pages/Home.aspx Also, the Colorado Wildlife Federation:http://www.coloradowildlife.org/ Colorado Wildlife Action Plan:http://www.wildlifeactionplan.org/colorado.html To view more on programs, such as Operation Game Thief, alsovisit the DOW website. Colorado Wildlife Heritage Foundation: http://www.cwhf.info/ The Colorado Wildlife Federation and the Heritage Foundationwill gladly accept donations towards any projects concerningwildlife or preservation of the animals and their habitat. 10. Created and compiled by: Sloane Solomon With Special Thanks to: Perry Will, ColoradoDivision of Wildlife