WILDLIFE Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change, Government of India has issued an red alert about the threat of tiger poaching in major Tiger Reserves of the country, including Pench and Tadoba recently. WCCB, in its advisory said that organised tiger hunting gangs are active around various Tiger Reserves, especially Tadoba, Pench, Satpura, and tiger bearing areas such as Gadchiroli and Chandrapur in Maharashtra. “The Field Directors of all Tiger Reserves and officials concerned may immediately intensify patrolling, visit the identified sensitive areas, look for suspected nomadics in tents, temples, railway stations, bus stations, abandoned buildings, and public shelter places,” the advisory stated.

 

It also advised to inform the officials of all the police stations concerned and sanitise aforesaid areas as a preventive measure. It also said that the bureau got inputs through revelations of the recent seizures the organised gangs are also targetting outer areas of tiger reserves. However, Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR), which is normally peaceful for any such kind of wildlife crime, is gearing up to handle such gangs in its periphery. “After receiving the advisory, we have intensified the patrolling. We haveastaff of more than 100 people including Special Tiger Protection Force (SPTF) personnel who are already deputed for nakabandi at forest roads,” Dr Prabhu Nath Shukla, Deputy Field Director, Pench Tiger Reserve, told ‘The Hitavada’. “Following the directions of WCCB, we have started sensitising villagesthatcomeunderpoaching-sensitiveareas,conductingmeetings with concerning departments, including police, in our jurisdiction,” he added. Forest department has its primary response teams in all villages that comes under the periphery of any forest area. “We have informed them to be alert and make co-ordination with forest officials at the time of any doubt on any group or person,” said the Deputy Field Director.

 

“Tiger Reserves haveaproper system of tiger protection. Maharashtra have STPF in Navegaon-Nagzira TigerReserve (NNTR), Pench, Tadoba and Melghat which gives more manpower to Protected Areas (PA), but there isaneed to focus on terroterial areas because there is presence of tigers outside PAs in all parts of Vidharbha,” said Ajinkya Bhatkar, Honarary Wildlife Warden, Nagpur. He said, “There is also a need to check for leopard and leeser known species like pangolin, monitor lizard, snakes, birds etc. It is the need to alert and strengthen terrotrial staff about wildlife monitoring, intelligence gathering, and the use of technology to deal with wildlife crime.”

 

Poaching gang from North India active in Central India ASSAM Police with the help of Wildlife Protection Society of India (W PSI) arrested four poachers and seized one fresh tiger skin and 18 kg of tiger bones in Guwahati two days ago. After interrogation, the poachers claimed that a organised gang of poachers from North India are active in Central India including Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka where tiger population is rising. “As told by the arrestedpoachers, theWCCB has issued‘Red Alert’,”NitinDesai,Central India Director,WPSI,told The Hitavada. “In 2013, police had busted a poacheres gang from Madhya Pradesh active in Central India during those days. After the operation, poaching decreased drastically in Central India which helped tigers thrieve,” said Desai.

 

He said, “Now this North India gang is targeting Central India due to the increased number of tiger in the region. As per the inputs, these gangs will execute the crime during this monsoon season and due to which the bureau issued alert for the region.” While talkingaboutthethreattotigers inGadchiroli,Desai said,“Though the tiger population in Gadchiroli is less but there are tigers who are attacking villagers in the forest in recent time. Due to the geographical benefits the poachers will target tigers in Gadchiroli.”