A horrific incident of poaching, wherein a leopard was killed and burnt, has surfaced more than a month after its occurrence in Siddipet district.
According to sources, a group of wildlife poachers set up a trap purportedly to catch wild boars in Godugupally beat of Dubbaka range in Ibrahimpur Reserve Forest on February 26. A leopard was trapped instead and is said to have died in the trap. In order to erase the evidence, the poachers burnt the carcass.
However, foresters got wind of the incident, and a poacher was subsequently arrested; a snare was seized from him. The police found a mobile phone with images of the trapped leopard—the only incriminating evidence available. The forest authorities have also collected remnants of the animal from where it was burnt.
This, along with another incident in which forest officials foiled poaching attempts in Kanakagiri Reserve Forest of Khammam district, prompted the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and chief wildlife warden of Telangana Mohan Chandra Pargaien to issue an ‘alert note’ on anti-poaching surveillance to the Forest department’s field officials.
The other incident occurred in Brahmalakunta beat of the forest. A team of foresters on patrolling duty found six persons roaming suspiciously and frisked them. A country-made gun, a small axe and a knife were confiscated from them. On inquiry, it was found that four of the accused—Pushapala Sugriv Jeer, Budaraju Venkata Srikanth, Boddanna Narayana Rao and Tirumani Vijaya Nagaraju— arrived from West Marredpally area of Hyderabad in a car (now seized) for hunting with help from two local persons—Derangula Midhun Kumar and Borra Suresh.
The alert note issued by Mr. Pargaien cited the two instances and underlined that forest fires, which are increasing in frequency in the State, are prompting the wild animals to move to safer areas, such as villages on forest fringes. This made them vulnerable to poaching.
The dry deciduous forests native to Telangana, coupled with degradation and impact of climate change, are resulting in depletion of water table, thereby stunting the regeneration of vegetation. This is forcing the fauna to stray into human habitat in search of water and food, the note mentioned.
It directed the staff visiting forest areas for firefighting or tilling of artificial water sources to screen the surrounding areas thoroughly for any snares or traps and remove them, if found. The operation ‘Catch the Trap’ should be continued to cleanse all the villages on forest fringes of poaching devices.
Mr. Pargaien also issued instructions to increase surveillance and monitoring through intelligence network. Secret Services funds should be utilised effectively to strengthen intelligence gathering by the district forest officers.
Directions were also issued for more effective coordination with other departments, including Police, Revenue, Panchayat Raj, Electricity and Tribal Welfare. Publicity campaigns should be taken up in villages against poaching. Any negligence in cases pertaining to wildlife offences will be taken seriously, the note warned.
