I don't think this is the first time lethal force has been authorized to use against poachers of a rare or endangered species. 

Poaching is a problem here in the states, of course. But we might not realize that in parts of Africa and Asia, the black market demand for certain animals parts are so big, poachers will go to almost any lenghts. It goes to a whole other level over there, poachers are almost para-military. 

My father assisted game wardens in Africa for a time back in the 1970s. He described it as a pretty hard-core undertaking. 

May 24, 2012 -- 2:24PM, TemplarS wrote:

Well, you know, you cannot blame villagers for wanting to protect their crops and livestock.

But the rest is driven by demand. Maybe if we started shooting people who think it is cool to have these little ivory carvings, or these so-called "traditonal Chinese medicine practitioners" -things might change.

In the case of tigers, villagers might very well be protecting themselves. Tigers can be notorious man-killers. 

Be that as it may, there must be a way to discern between legitimate protection of human life, limb or property, and simply killing the animal in order to sell its parts on the black market.