Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3)
The Wildlife Forensic Academy in South Africa is a school that helps stop poaching. It teaches people how to investigate these crimes.
The school has real stuffed animals, like a rhino named “Frikkie” who was killed by poachers. Phil Snijman said that the first people at a poaching crime scene are very important. They need to protect the area so important clues are not lost. Snijman is a trainer at the academy.
South Africa is facing a poaching crisis. More than 10,000 rhinos have been killed since 2007 but not many poachers are caught and punished in court.
This makes it hard to get justice for the animals. Even when poachers are taken to court, they often do not get a strong punishment.
Since opening in 2022, the academy has trained over 500 people. Many of the students are from Europe. Their fees help local rangers train for free.
Answer: to help stop poaching
