   Poaching is a bedeviling topic because of its apparent
conflicts between human and animal rights. Westerners seem more
eager to intervene when endangered animals such as elephants or
gorillas are threatened in Africa than when genocidal wars or
militia campaigns kill, injure and enslave thousands of Africans
yearly. Then there's the fact that the desperately poor people
in many African countries need the money from ivory sales and
sometimes rely on "bush meat" from endangered animals to
survive. In parts of Asia, ivory is considered precious beyond
jewels, valued not only for its beauty when carved but as a cure
for many ailments, including cancer. Are their rights less
important?  In this case, actually, yes. The WWF says most of
the Cameroonian elephant poaching is being done by militia
groups from neighboring Chad and Sudan, who descend on herds and
simply open fire with AK-47s. The proceeds from ivory sales,
which can be vast - ivory sells for roughly $1,300 a pound in
China - are used to fund their il