<p>Wildlife-related crime continues unabated in and around the State’s forests. <br />Elephant poaching is rampant on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border while a pan-India poachers’ network is actively hunting down tigers.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Even smaller wildlife like the star tortoise and sea cucumber are poached. To add to the dismal scenario, Bangalore does not have a functioning laboratory to test the remains of poached animals.<br /><br />In June, two tusks and elephant bones weighing 85 kg were seized from forest ranges in Karnataka with the assistance of Wildlife Crime Control Bureau. The tusks were found near the Hosur forest range while the elephant bones were seized from Sakleshpur forest range. Two individuals from Tamil Nadu were involved in the incident.<br /><br />Since January, there have been seven cases of elephant poaching in the forest ranges abutting Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The bureau has also come across seven tiger and leopard poaching cases in the Kerala and Tamil Nadu forest ranges.<br /><br />The bureau officials effected several seizures, including five full pieces of elephant tusks, bits and pieces of 10 other elephants, teeth, skin and claws of tigers and leopards.<br /><br />According to the bureau’s South Deputy Director Venkatesh Murthy, elephant poaching is rampant in the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu forest range and they suspect involvement of the local people. He said that forest departments had been told to intensify patrols and increase the number of forest guards. “Big cat poachers are not locals but an organised gang, which has migrated from northern and central India, working for a larger network,” Murthy told Deccan Herald.<br /><br />Poaching in the forest areas of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala is not limited to tigers or elephants, but include smaller wildlife like the star tortoise. Poaching and smuggling of sea cucumber, the Schedule I marine animal, is also rampant, said Venkatesh Murthy. “The star tortoise is a small reptile and is easily transportable. Bangalore is the hub and caters to an international demand for these reptiles. We have also seized star tortoises artificially bred in Andhra Pradesh,” he said.<br /><br />First ever interaction<br /><br />The bureau officials were in Bangalore in September for the first-ever interaction with wildlife volunteers and to issue identity cards to them. At least 100 volunteers from Karnataka received ID cards.<br /><br />Sharath Babu, a former wildlife warden, told the gathering that the absence of a laboratory in Bangalore to test the skin of poached animals was a major concern. “In the last three months, the veterinary college in Hebbal has stopped accepting samples for testing. This is a serious problem in handling investigation into wildlife crimes. All samples are being sent to a laboratory in Hyderabad,” Babu said.<br /><br />Bureau officials assured him that the Bangalore laboratory will soon resume function, he said.<br />DH News Service</p>
<p>Wildlife-related crime continues unabated in and around the State’s forests. <br />Elephant poaching is rampant on the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu border while a pan-India poachers’ network is actively hunting down tigers.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Even smaller wildlife like the star tortoise and sea cucumber are poached. To add to the dismal scenario, Bangalore does not have a functioning laboratory to test the remains of poached animals.<br /><br />In June, two tusks and elephant bones weighing 85 kg were seized from forest ranges in Karnataka with the assistance of Wildlife Crime Control Bureau. The tusks were found near the Hosur forest range while the elephant bones were seized from Sakleshpur forest range. Two individuals from Tamil Nadu were involved in the incident.<br /><br />Since January, there have been seven cases of elephant poaching in the forest ranges abutting Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The bureau has also come across seven tiger and leopard poaching cases in the Kerala and Tamil Nadu forest ranges.<br /><br />The bureau officials effected several seizures, including five full pieces of elephant tusks, bits and pieces of 10 other elephants, teeth, skin and claws of tigers and leopards.<br /><br />According to the bureau’s South Deputy Director Venkatesh Murthy, elephant poaching is rampant in the Karnataka-Tamil Nadu forest range and they suspect involvement of the local people. He said that forest departments had been told to intensify patrols and increase the number of forest guards. “Big cat poachers are not locals but an organised gang, which has migrated from northern and central India, working for a larger network,” Murthy told Deccan Herald.<br /><br />Poaching in the forest areas of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala is not limited to tigers or elephants, but include smaller wildlife like the star tortoise. Poaching and smuggling of sea cucumber, the Schedule I marine animal, is also rampant, said Venkatesh Murthy. “The star tortoise is a small reptile and is easily transportable. Bangalore is the hub and caters to an international demand for these reptiles. We have also seized star tortoises artificially bred in Andhra Pradesh,” he said.<br /><br />First ever interaction<br /><br />The bureau officials were in Bangalore in September for the first-ever interaction with wildlife volunteers and to issue identity cards to them. At least 100 volunteers from Karnataka received ID cards.<br /><br />Sharath Babu, a former wildlife warden, told the gathering that the absence of a laboratory in Bangalore to test the skin of poached animals was a major concern. “In the last three months, the veterinary college in Hebbal has stopped accepting samples for testing. This is a serious problem in handling investigation into wildlife crimes. All samples are being sent to a laboratory in Hyderabad,” Babu said.<br /><br />Bureau officials assured him that the Bangalore laboratory will soon resume function, he said.<br />DH News Service</p>
