(IN): After tigers, poachers now target leopards

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Link:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Flora__Fauna/After_tigers_poachers_now_target\

_leopards/articleshow/3455225.cms

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After tigers, poachers now target leopards*

7 Sep 2008, 1509 hrs IST,PTI

 

NEW DELHI: With increased vigilance on the illegal trade of tiger parts, the

poaching mafia has shifted its focus on leopards, whose bones fetch the same

price as that of tigers in the international market, and are easier to kill

because of their " peculiar habitat " .

 

" Tiger bones are used in traditional Chinese medicines as an aphrodisiac

but increased vigilance of enforcement agencies on this trade has dwindled

its supply. Although tiger parts fetch 20 times higher price than that of

leopard but their bones are considered on par, " Program Manager of Wildlife

Protection Society of India (WPSI) Tito Joseph said.

 

According to WPSI, about 124 leopards were killed by poachers last year but

till August this year, more than 112 leopards have already been slaughtered

across the country.

 

The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has seized more than 22 leopard

skins during the last two months in a sustained operation in northern India

with 20 of them coming from Uttarakhand.

 

In its subsequent investigations, the bureau established direct link of

nabbed traders with two notorious poachers - Bharat Bhandari of Chamoli

district (Uttarakhand) and Gopi Bawaria of Haryana. Both of them are still

absconding.

 

" Although leopards are killed across the country, the threat is much larger

in northern India as major poaching groups are located in the region, "

Deputy Director WCCB Ramesh Pandey said.

 

The WCCB investigations also indicate large scale involvement of nomad

gangs, especially Bawaria groups in the killing of leopards and tigers.

 

" They do not stay at one place for long and work in collusion with the

local tribes. They have expertise in laying down traps and killing the

animals which they share with local tribes, " Joseph said.

 

Unlike tigers, who prefer deep forests, leopards live on the fringe areas.

Experts say that sometimes they also kill the cattle of villagers living

nearby.

 

Poachers exploit these man-animal conflict and villagers provide help and

guide the smugglers to catch or kill the animal.

 

" The outskirts of protected areas are not that well guarded. Some times

animals wander off to non-protected areas which makes the work of poachers

easy, " Joseph said.

 

WCCB officials have informed the forest department in different states

about this trend.

 

" This issue is really serious and we are going to issue an alert to all

forest officials to increase vigilance in fringe areas as well, " said a WCCB

official.

 

According to an estimate of the Ministry of Environment and Forest, there

are about 12,000 leopards in the country. International Union for

Conservation of Nature has put the animal in the list of endangered species.

 

 

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