Incidents of poachers laying traps for lower mammals on the rise: Forest officials
Camera trap images of the elusive tiger, which is believed to have killed 15 domestic animals in 17 days in four divisions of Mayanthavadi Municipality, have revealed that the animal is a victim of traps set up by poachers to trap lower mammals such as wild boar.
Chief Conservator of Forests (Northern Circle) DK Vinod Kumar said, “From the photographs, the big cat seemed to be a victim of a trap set by the poachers on the edge of the forest as it has suffered injuries on its neck from the cable net.” Hindu,
Five tigers entered human habitation in a year in Begur and Thiruneli areas of North Wayanad Forest Division and Chethalayam in South Wayanad Forest Division of the district, of which four were captured, and the remaining one went back to the forest Was.
The four tigers were caught in the trap of the poachers as they had suffered severe injuries on their bodies. Shri Vinod Kumar said that the incidents of laying of nets on the edges of the forest are increasing.
Shri Vinod Kumar said that at times, the issue of straying tigers into human habitation was the creation of anti-social elements as the raw net was a threat not only to the life of lower mammals but also to higher species like tigers and leopards, Shri Vinod Kumar said. Said, adding that the injuries sustained by the snail forced the former to hunt the animals in the villages adjacent to the sanctuary.
Shri Vinod Kumar said that the people, especially the people living on the edge of the forest areas also fall prey to the illegal activities of some anti-social elements.
“We have brought this issue to the notice of the Kerala High Court and the department has decided to take strict action against the culprits under the Wildlife Protection Act. Those guilty of trapping an animal like a tiger belonging to Schedule 1 of the Act will be sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment,” he said.
Meanwhile, a Special Task Force comprising 127 forest personnel including members of the Rapid Response Team of the Forest Department, a strike team led by a Forest Veterinary Surgeon and two Kumkis (trained elephants) carried out a search operation in Kurukkanmool and nearby places. On Wednesday, the tigress could not be traced to the Begur forest area of North Wayanad forest division.
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