Illegal hunting and shooting

Illegal hunting/shooting (and poaching) involves the illegal killing or taking of wildlife. It is a phenomenon which, amongst an array of impacts, has driven some species towards extinction, and can take many forms depending on its location and target. This entry provides a definition of illegal hunting/shooting, placing it within the wider gambit of environmental crimes, and overviews the phenomenon and those involved. The notion of hunters possessing a social licence and their overall motivations are considered, along with consideration of preventive and enforcement measures. Such criminal behaviour is oftentimes difficult to detect and enforce owing to the remoteness of where the offending frequently occurs, and thus there is a lack of both formal and informal guardianship. The entry concludes with a discussion of measures used to promote legal hunting.