States unite for crackdown on poaching

Bihar has teamed up with its neighbours — Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Nepal — to check on cross-border poaching and smuggling of wild animals, in the Valmiki-Chitwan-Parsa Tiger Conservation Unit spread in the forests of the Himalayan Terai.

At a recent meeting in Patna, forest officials and wildlife experts discussed possibilities for better coordination on wildlife conservation in the area. Officials also discussed sharing intelligence on poachers, smugglers, and wildlife migration.

The boundaries of Bihar's Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR) in West Champaran merge with UP's Sohagibarwa wildlife sanctuary, and Chitwan National Park and Parsa National Park in Nepal.

"One of our major concerns is poaching in the bordering areas of Valmiki Tiger Reserve in West Chamaparan district. It is commonplace among smugglers to run away to Nepal after poaching on our side of the border," principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Bihar) Devendra Shukla said.

"At the meet, we stressed for more co-ordination with Nepal. They assured us to show readiness in arresting smugglers and also share intelligence inputs," Shukla said. The three participating states and Nepal have each nominated a nodal officer to share inputs on a daily basis for effective preservation of wildlife in the area.

Besides sounding alert about poachers, officials will also share information on trans border movement of wild animals. Last year, about 22 people died due to wild elephant stampede, though elephants are not found in Bihar.

"Similarly, a lot of rhinos come to VTR from Nepal. If we are made aware of their movement, we can up the security to prevent their poaching," he said.