Leopard Poachers Convicted to Six Years Imprisonment

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Katni, Madhya Pradesh: Shri A.A. Ansari, the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Katni, today sentenced two poachers, Ittu Baiga, Bahilal Baiga to rigorous imprisonment of six years and a fine of Rs. 10,000 each under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. The third accused Iqbal (alias Atiq Ahmed), is still absconding and his trial is still pending.

On 25 June, 2009, the three poachers had poisoned a water-hole in the Dhimarkheda range of Katni division with an organo-phosphate pesticide (phosphamidan) which led to … Read More

No Two-bit Crime This

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Belinda Wright has been crunching some numbers: between 1994 and 2009, out of 691 cases of crimes against tigers filed in Indian courts, 10 cases have resulted in conviction of a total of 30 persons.

“Statistics are so important to get the bigger picture,” says the 57-year-old wildlife conservationist and executive director of Wildlife Protection Society of India or WPSI, an NGO.

Interpol estimates global illegal trade in wildlife products is worth around $20 billion. “It is significant that the

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Black Magic Behind Illegal Owl Trade in India

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New Delhi, India, 2nd November 2010 — Use of owls in black magic and sorcery driven by superstition, totems and taboos is one of the prime drivers of the covert owl trade, finds a TRAFFIC India investigation into the illegal trade, trapping and utilization of owls in India. TRAFFIC India’s report entitled “Imperilled Custodians of the Night” was launched today by Mr. Jairam Ramesh, Minister of Environment and Forests at his office in New Delhi.

Hunting of and trade in … Read More

Growing Elephant Deaths in Orissa Raise Alarm

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BHUBANESWAR: In the last 19 years in Orissa, 231 elephants fell victim to poachers while 166 were killed in accidents and 173 more died from natural causes, says a wildlife NGO. While the government gives more conservative estimates, experts say there is enough cause for alarm.

Biswajit Mohanty, secretary of NGO Wildlife Society of Orissa , who gave IANS the figures, said at least 155 of the elephants died due to electrocution in over 10 years.

“Immediate measures are required … Read More

Three leopard skins seized in Himachal Pradesh

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With the assistance of Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), the HP police succeeded in seizing three leopard hides, including one of a cub, from three accused with each possessing a leopard hide from tehsil Sangrah of district Sirmaur in Himachal Pradesh.

One of the accused, Mahindra Singh from village Kajwan of the area, is a Government school headmaster.… Read More

Seizure of 920 kg of antlers in Saharanpur near Dehra Dun, North India

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There was a huge seizure of deer antlers this morning in the town of Saharanpur in the State of Uttar Pradesh, north of the capital New Delhi. 

A staggering 920 kg of antlers were seized by the officers of Behat Police Station. Included in the haul were sambar, cheetal and barking deer antlers. Three people have been detained in this known collection centre for antlers. Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) is assisting the police with the investigation.

Since May

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Seven elephants die after speeding train hits herd

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Incident once again raises questions over movement of trains along the elephant corridor.

Seven elephants of a herd died after being hit by a goods train in the Banarhat area of Jalpaiguri district (West Bengal) on Wednesday night.

While four were killed on the spot, the rest died on Thursday. The dead include a sub-adult and two juvenile elephants, Divisional Forest Officer (Wild Life II) Sumita Ghatak told The Hindu over telephone.

The incident has once again raised questions over … Read More

Leopard skins and Himalayan Black Bear gall bladder seized in Uttarakhand

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New Delhi: The Anti-Poaching cell of the Uttarakhand Forest Department, assisted by the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI), seized 2 leopard skins, 1 leopard cat skin and 1 Himalayan black bear gall bladder from Chakrata in Dehradun district, Uttarakhand, last night.

In the late night operation, the Anti-Poaching cell led by Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Mr. Paramjit Singh, arrested two local persons in connection with this seizure. A case under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 has been registering … Read More

Another elephant electrocuted in Orissa

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Notwithstanding the “elephantine” efforts proposed by the Project Elephant in its elaborate report ‘Gajah’ to secure the future of jumbos in the country, “elephanticides” continue in Odisha. In the latest incident, two elephants died in the State — one due to electrocution and the other shot dead by suspected poachers — in the wee hours on Monday.

Official sources in the State forest department confirmed the killing of two tuskers, of which one had been electrocuted at Hindol in Dhenkanal … Read More

130 Leopards Poached in India this year (as of Sept 2010)

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Watching a leopard amble along a sun-beaten track at dusk is a captivating sight. But now these big cats are in danger in India. At least 130 leopards have been poached this year so far, say experts describing the figures as “alarming”. 

Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra recorded the highest number of leopard deaths, stated the NGO Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI).

There have been reports of 240 leopard deaths so far.

Across the country, 17 leopards were killed

… Read More

Biligiri Rangana Temple Wildlife Sanctuary (BRT) forest staff expose ungulate poachers’ racket

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The Forest Department squad of Biligiri Rangana Temple Wildlife Sanctuary (BRTWLS), pursuing fleeing poachers, has bumped into a well-knit racket into ungulate (hoofed animals) poaching, which has been active for the past five years. Three persons have been arrested in this connection.… Read More

Killing Softly, But Surely

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Spread before me is a grassland — a seemingly unending sea of golden grasses gently swaying in the wind, looking not unlike waves rising and falling to the rhythm of the wind. Out of this azure landscape, something, a bird, shoots straight up in the air some two metres high, but before I can catch and ‘paint’ the picture in my mind’s eye, it’s gone…then, a few furlongs ahead, another one emerges, leaps, a hen-sized bird–shimmering black body, silvery white … Read More

Crime Investigation Department (CID) to probe Valmiki big cat death

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Patna, Aug. 26: The Crime Investigation Department (CID) has a new challenge — to crack a case involving death of a tigress.

For the first time in Bihar, the CID will probe into the death of an adult tigress at Valmiki Tiger Reserve. Chief wildlife warden Mithilesh Kumar recently gave his nod to the formal request from the tiger reserve’s project director J.P. Gupta for a CID probe into the incident.

Kumar has sent the proposal to the principal chief … Read More

Notorious Wildlife Trader Sansar Chand Convicted today by a Delhi Court

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In a landmark judgment today, the Court of Addl. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (Special Acts) held notorious Wildlife trader Sansar Chand guilty of illegal possession and trade of one Leopard skin. This case dates back to 17.7.95 when Sansar Chand was caught red handed in possession of one Leopard skin which he was carrying in a green coloured canvas bag and was coming from Pahari Dheeraj.

According to the case of the Prosecution upon a secret information a raiding party comprising … Read More

23 kg of Peacock Feathers Seized at Chennai Airport

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CHENNAI: The air intelligence unit of customs on Wednesday seized 23 kg of peacock tail feathers from a Singapore-bound passenger at Chennai airport. The officials, during routine profiling, found the movements of M Sethuraman of Washermenpet, going by a Jet Airways flight, suspicious. He was intercepted while passing through the customs facilitation counter after the immigration check.

When customs officials grilled him, he said he was carrying nothing but used clothes and personal effects. The officials, however, weren’t convinced and … Read More