Bhitarkanika: Poacher arrested for killing deer

Bhitarkanika Updates:
Sharing an article about poaching of spotted deer

POACHER ARRESTED IN BHITARKANIKA ON THE CHARGES OF KILLING SPOTTED DEER
ASHIS SENAPATI, KENDRAPADA,

The forest officials of Bhitarakanika national park on Friday evening arrested a poacher on the charges of killing a spotted deer inside the forest within the park in Kendrapada district. The arrested poacher and others killed a spotted deer by laying down traps inside the mangrove forest, said Durga Charana Sahoo the forest officer of Bhitarkanika national park.

The forest officials have also seized two kilo grams of cooked venison , a horn and hide from the arrested poacher. The arrested poacher was identified as Sridhar Jena of Righagada village within the park. The arrested poacher along with others killed a spotted deer. But other poachers managed to flee from the forest . We are raiding some hideouts to arrest them, said the forest officer.

The arrested poacher was booked under sections-27, 11 and 19 of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 . He was produced in the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) at Pattamundei. The court has rejected his bail application and remanded him in jail custody. The seized venison was sent to the office of chief district veterinary at Kendrapada for its examination, said the forest officer.

The rampant illegal poaching of the spotted deer (Axis axis) has been going on in the park and its nearby areas due to non-appointment of about 25 forest guards in the park. The poachers trap the hapless animals by spreading nylon ropes in the mangrove forest and its nearby areas and kill the deer. Some poachers also use trained dogs to kill the spotted deer. Two years back , the forest officials had arrested some poachers along with their trained dogs. The Bhitarakanika national park is the home of about twenty thousand spotted deer and the population of the deer is rising in spite of rampant poaching as each year a female deer gives birth to at least two baby deer.

The large population of deer are not getting sufficient fodder and water inside the park areas for which the hoofed animals often stray into the nearby village fields and water bodies to quench their thirst for which the poachers easily kill them by trapping, said Sudhanshu Parida an environmentalist and the secretary of the district unit of Peoples for Animal.

After killing the spotted deer the poachers and taxidermists sale their hides and horns to some businessmen of Kolkata, sources said. The poachers also kill salt-water crocodiles and snakes inside the park areas. Three years back, the forest officials had seized a crocodile hide and arrested one poacher, said Parida. (THE END)

Source article can be found at: http://www.orissalive.co.in/sep154.aspx