[sobi]

Just looking at the news feeds on the front page I see that Rajastan is looking to recruit 1,000+ ex-servicemen to guard their wildlife, especially the tigers.

After seeing the scenes of the gorillas killed in the Congo, I wonder if this might the only solution to the future of wildlife protection. Organised crime seems to become ever more organised and the speed at which some species are disappearing is just incredible

[StuartDH]

I think this could be necessary in many situations in the future sobi as wildlife crime becomes evermore organised and lucrative...if only because species become rarer. The rangers will be defending land and species, not attacking people, so they will be more like armed guards than soldiers.

Armed rangers have worked for many years in places like Africa, but they always seem to be poorly trained and have no money and no equipment. It would be great if they had the funding to use planes, jeeps, communications and everything else they need to do this very important job.

[paul m]

I suppose you've mostly seen this link -
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j...Fdzgx-CAD8SMM4
P00 - but suggests that animals don't like war any more than humans do