Vidarbha wildlife reels as officials struggle to contain rampant poaching.
The Katni gang has struck again in the forests of Vidarbha. This time, it poached two sloth bears and decamped with their paws and bile. The incident took place at Gangazari in Tiroda range of Gondia.
The wildlife in Vidarbha is reeling under severe threat of poaching after the poisoning of two deer and other animals near Bhandara on Thursday, and fears of 20 tigers having been poached outside Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve.
“It is a clear case of electrocution. The matter came to light on May 19 when locals reached their farms in the morning,” said deputy conservator of forests, Gondia, Mukesh Ganatra.
Ruling out the involvement of outsiders, Ganatra claimed that all non-residents were under strict watch. “Whenever we come across outsiders moving about in the area, they are forced out after noting their details,” Ganatra said. He said that the spot where corpses were found is surrounded by agricultural land. “We are investigating the matter and the offenders will be arrested soon,” he added.
The bodies were found in the farmland owned by Lalsingh Pusan. Sources said that after the animals died, poachers decamped with all the eight paws and the bile. The bears are estimated to be three years old.
Sources said that the modus operandi strikingly resembles that of the Katni gang. “The bears appear to have fallen prey to the huge bear bile trade. The Katni gang had earlier killed bears at Gothangaon near Navegaon National Park,” said Kishor Rithe, president of Satpuda Foundation, an NGO working for forest conservation in central India. Bear bile is in huge demand for its alleged medicinal properties in the countries like China, Thailand and Hong Kong. “The trade is suspected to run into millions of dollars,” Rithe said.
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