What is the definition of "poaching"?

Hunting or seizing wildlife illegally is known as "poaching," according to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. Poachers can violate wildlife protection laws in many ways, such as hunting outside a designated season, killing endangered species or stealing animals from a protected sanctuary.

Poaching is a worldwide conflict that can drive endangered animal populations closer to extinction and upset the ecological balance of wildlife habitats. Wildlife sharing the same habitats as targeted animals can also become accidental casualties of poaching. The World Wildlife Fund estimates that approximately 25 percent of wildlife obtained by marine fisheries worldwide are unintentional catches and often discarded.