Pelt seizures surge as 100 tigers vanish
Imran Khan
First Published : 30 Jul 2009 04:22:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 31 Jul 2009 09:15:38 AM IST BANGALORE: As reports of increased poaching and alarming depletion of India’s endangered tiger population surfaces in the media, Karnataka’s wildlife too finds itself in harm’s way. In six years more than a 100 big cats have died in the state.The tiger population in Karnataka has fallen from 401 in 2001-2 to 290 in 2008. While no figures for the number of animals that perished to poaching is available, the state has seen a sharp increase in the capture of tiger and leopard pelts. Sources in the State Forest Police Cell report that more than six crore rupees worth of tiger and leopard pelts have been captured in the last three years.The more disturbing fact is that wildlife pelt seizures are still going up. A look at the figures reveals that in 2007 around 34 cases were reported all over the state, which increased to around 40 in 2008. This year though, the number has already reached 30.“After elephant tusks, tiger and leopard pelts are the items most sought after by poachers and smugglers.There are many people who want to buy them in the state since local superstition ties it up with health, longevity and even supernatural powers.” said Bangalore police inspector Kadari.The police claim that all these pelts were seized from the animals killed in the state and were not caught in transit.How do the poachers conduct their operations? The animals are hunted and skinned on the spot in the interiors of Bandipur, Nagarholle, Chamrajanagar and Nanjangud forests. From there the poachers bring it to nearby cities where the marketing section of the operation takes over.The pelts are taken over by middlemen who smuggle it to important transit points and trade centres for sale.In Bangalore the illegal pelt trade happens in the City Market and Majestic areas where the men bringing the pelts into the city put up at nearby lodges. Other major centres in Karnataka are Gundulpet, Kollegal and Channapatna.
However Sanjay Gubbi of the the Centre for Wildlife Studies Bangalore, thinks that Karnataka is better off. “Poaching is relatively lower in Karnataka compared to other states. However, I do not mean to say that there is no surge in cases related to poaching.” Gubbi is skeptical of the figures since there are a lot of fake skins in the market and a huge network that operates it. “The increase in the number of cases can also be attributed to efficient detection. In the previous years the police work in this area was very slack.”
Source: Indian Express
Comment: One among the main reasons for such a lose of tiger and leopards is lack or weak information gathering system of forest department and police deparment. this problem can be solved easily. Staff of police and forest should have a good rapport with the villagers and manage a good informer network which provides information before any killing/ poaching happens in the field. apprehending poachers after killing is a secondary importance as we are not saving the life the animal.
Forest department has to take lead to solve this problem.
In my experience, forest cell of Police is doing these operations. ofcourse thay can do but forest deparetment has equal responsibility to tackle the issue. -
Guruvayurappan.S, WPSI - Poroject officer & co-ordinator, South India
