India: Tiger reserve, poachers sanctuary

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Link:

http://www.ibnlive.com/news/poachers-out-to-kill-indias-pride/34410-3.html

 

Tiger reserve, poachers sanctuary

Piyush Pushpak

CNN-IBN

 

Melghat Tiger Reserve (Maharashtra): Dreaded poacher Sansar Chand may

have been behind bars but poaching continues unabated in India despite

the Prime Minister's direct intervention.

 

CNN-IBN's special investigation team travelled to the Melghat tiger

reserve which is on the Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh border to find out

how poaching is killing India's pride, the tiger.

 

The poachers at the Melghat tiger reserve lay their steel traps

carefully for the big catch.

 

" We lay a trap for the tiger and hide. When the tiger gets caught, we

kill it and take its skin, " says one of the poachers.

 

Steel traps, water poisoning and electrocution are some of the methods

used by the poachers to kill the tigers. They study tiger routes for

days with the help of the locals and before finally laying the trap

for the tiger.

 

A census in 2005 showed that the three tiger reserves of Maharashtra -

Tadoba, Melghat and Pench were home to 257 tigers, which for the

poachers meant good business.

 

And recent arrests clearly show that there is some connection between

Sansar Chand and the poachers.

 

" The accused confessed that he sold the skin to Sansar Chand, " says

Investigating Officer, Crime Branch, Amravati, Anil Singh Gautam.

 

Steel traps are being found with alarming regularity in the region.

And experts say they see it as indication that locals have joined

hands with the poachers.

 

" Steel traps have been recovered from Melghat tiger reserve, Tadoba

tiger reserve and Pench tiger reserve in Maharashtra so it is proved

that steel traps are supplied by traders in MP and people who are

operating from Delhi, " says Wildlife expert, Kishore Rithe.

 

Over 60 per cent tribals residing in the reserves are landless and

unemployed. They easily fall prey to the offers that poachers make.

 

" They bribe the tribals and take their help, " says Field Director,

Melghat Tiger Reserve, Nitin Kakodkar.

 

The forest department has realised the threat and is on the vigil. But

inadequate support system from the government makes it difficult for

them to cover open forests and check poaching.

 

" On one hand, there were mobile phones, vehicles and a lot of cash

that was recovered from all the offenders who have been arrested, and

on the other there are forest officials who have no funds from the

government, " says Rithe.

 

The number of tiger sightings has fallen in the region, and unless

some steps are taken urgently, Sariska's story may well get repeated

in the jungles of Maharashtra.