Rise in poaching in TN alarming
By S Mannar Mannan - Published: New Indian Express, 25th September 2013 12:29 PM
COIMBATORE:.
The
recent incidents of animal poaching reported from various forests in
the State, particularly in the western region, have evoked serious
concern among wildlife protection and conservation activists. The
worrying trend is that animals are being hunted down not only for their
hide, fur and meat but also as an adventure sport.
According to
Tito Joseph, programme manager of Wildlife Protection Society of India
(WPSI), an elephant and a leopard poaching were reported in Tamil Nadu
this year. Two elephant tusks and two female elephant tushes (small
short tusk with no pulp inside, typical of female Asian elephants) and
four tiger canines were seized.
“Last year (2012), an elephant
and a few deer were poached in Tamil Nadu, in addition to the seizure
of seven elephant tusks, two tiger skins, three leopard skins and deer
horns. Poaching of several other animals like blackbuck, spotted deer,
sambar, monitor lizard, wild boar and turtle were also reported,” he
said. He, however, said that poaching activity in Tamil Nadu was less
than in the northern and central parts of the country.
Forest
officials were worried about the trend of wild animals being hunted
down by people as an adventure activity and also for meat, in addition
to their being hunted for trading.
“Some of the people arrested
recently were from well-off families and they were involved in hunting
wild animals as an adventure sport. In some other cases animals were
killed for the meat,” said M Senthil Kumar, Coimbatore District Forest
Officer.
“If NGOs working for wildlife conservation inform the
Forest Department about poachers, they should take it seriously. What
is important is good policing and forest officials should enhance
security at entry points,” said S Jayachandran, joint secretary of
Tamil Nadu Green Movement. read more
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