Nov.25, 2010

In a remarkable followup to the arrest of tiger-poaching kingpin, Shalik Gedam, on 19th November, a complete skeleton of a tiger was recovered yesterday from Doni Nala, on the boundary of Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve in Chandrapur district, Maharashtra.

The Forest Department team was led to the spot by Shalik Gedam. Along with the tiger skeleton, a skull, four canines and a claw were recovered. The team was led by Mr. Dhabekar, Assistant Conservator of Forests, Chandrapur Division, accompanied by a field officer from the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI).

A resident of Doni village in Chandrapur district, Shalik Gedam is an accused in a case dating back to March 2009, when tiger claws were recovered from three of his alleged accomplices based on information provided by WPSI. Shalik Gedam had been absconding for the past 20 months, until he was arrested last Friday on further information provided by WPSI (see full story below). Upon interrogation, Gedam allegedly confessed to having killed a male tiger in October-November 2008. This lead to the recovery of the skeleton yesterday.

The information that led to the arrest and the recovery of the tiger skeleton, was developed through a Secret Information Reward Scheme which is being run by WPSI in collaboration with the Maharashtra Forest Department in the Tadoba landscape.

According to WPSI's Wildlife Crime Database, 27 tiger deaths are attributable to poaching or seizures so far in India in 2010.