Endangering of Banded Mongoose:
The Banded Mongoose is an animal found throughout much of Central, East and West Africa. Though it is fierce and powerful, the Banded Mongoose is actually a small, colorful animal. It has incredibly thick fur and a long muscular tail that is brown and white in color. The Banded Mongoose is highly active during the day, having nocturnal habits. It eats small animals, particularly insects, and is known for being particularly aggressive when protecting its territory. Though the Banded Mongoose has been known to cause serious damage to crops and livestock, its numbers have been decreasing due to habitat loss and hunting.
The Severe Threat of Hunting:
The Banded Mongoose faces a major threat due to excessive hunting by humans. Hunters usually shoot Banded Mongoose for its fur, which is highly valued by clothing manufacturers. Unfortunately, hunters often do not take into consideration the numbers of animals killed and the negative effects of the killings. Overhunting of Banded Mongoose can have a devastating effect on the entire species, as the animals are forced to flee their natural habitats to escape being shot. Furthermore, the animals that do remain have limited access to food and reproductive opportunities, as their natural environment is greatly disturbed by indiscriminate hunting.
Non-Sustainable Hunting Practices:
In some areas, Banded Mongoose are hunted by individuals using unsustainable methods such as traps and snares. This is highly detrimental to the animal, as the traps can cause serious injuries or even death. Even if the animal survives the trap, it may be badly injured and unable to support itself, leading to a slow and painful death. Additionally, traps and snares can also result in accidental catches of other animals, both pets and wildlife, resulting in unintended animal suffering.
Poaching of Banded Mongoose:
The Banded Mongoose is also targeted by poachers, who hunt them illegally and illegally sell their fur. These animals are already facing a severe threat to their populations due to the loss of natural habitat, yet poaching further contributes to the problem by depleting the numbers of Banded Mongoose in the wild. Additionally, these poachers often use highly destructive methods to capture the animals such as poison or explosives. This results in the unintentional capture and killing of other predators and animals, as well as causing serious damage to the environment.
Why We Should Not Hunt Banded Mongoose:
The Banded Mongoose is a highly intelligent and playful mammal that walks with a peculiar, waddling gait. Its thick fur and distinctive markings make it a valuable product on the black market. However, hunting Banded Mongoose, either for sustenance or fur, has a devastatingly long-term, negative impact both on the animals themselves and their natural environment. Overhunting, non-sustainable hunting practices, and particularly poaching of Banded Mongoose all contribute to a cycle of animal suffering and environmental destruction. For this reason, it is essential that hunting of Banded Mongoose is discouraged and instead, conservation efforts are put in place in order to preserve the species and its natural habitat for future generations.