The Hunted

P. Oppili

• The Hindu If locals have taken to poaching, the department has to gather intelligence from the tribal communities co-existing with the wildlife in protected areas. File Photo: M. A. Sriram 
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Poaching is back. What is worse, they are insiders

Tamil Nadu is no longer a safe heaven for the big cats.

After the seizure of two tiger skins in two months, a police intelligence unit on Sunday recovered one more leopard skin and body parts in the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR). As this is the fourth seizure of leopard skins this year, environmentalists say it is a clear indication that poaching is back in the State. Alarmingly, the poachers are from inside — from the community living on the fringes of the forests.

In this case, volunteers of the Tamil Nadu Green Movement (TNGM), a conservation organisation, came to know that someone at Gondri in the STR was carrying a gun and trying to sell animal trophies. They approached Kannaiyan, the main accused, and then informed the Organised Crime Intelligence Unit, a wing of the police. The police raided his house at Iruttippalayam and recovered the leopard skin and body parts. Kannaiyan and his associates were handed over to the Forest Department.

Preliminary investigations by forest officials revealed that the accused had set up a trap for catching mouse deer on his farm at Gondri in January, around Pongal. However, a sub-adult leopard got caught in it, and this was later beaten to death. Later, Kannaiyan and his associates skinned the animal and removed the body parts.

S. Jayachandran, joint secretary, TNGM, said the Forest Department should seize the weapon used for poaching the leopard and conduct a thorough probe.

A senior officer from the wildlife wing said the lack of coordination between forest officials of the State and the Centre was one of the reasons for increased poaching. Besides, the intelligence wing of the Forest Department was yet to get pro-active and act professionally while dealing with organised wildlife crimes, Forest Department officials say.

Like the police intelligence wing, the forest intelligence wing should systematically collect details of habitual poachers and keep an eye on them, officials say. The local community should identify poachers from outside and alert Forest Department officials. If locals have taken to poaching, the department has to gather intelligence from the tribal communities co-existing with the wildlife in protected areas.

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