Counter Wildlife Trafficking Newsletter
May 2021
In Focus
Adding on to the list of initiatives taken towards wildlife conservation, the state of Arunachal Pradesh has started the "Air Gun Surrender Abhiyan" initiative, where local communities are asked to surrender their air guns used for hunting, in exchange for other benefits.
The objective behind this initiative is to create awareness within local indigenous communities on the ill effects of hunting wildlife. The Arunachal Pradesh Government will plant fruit bearing trees in the properties of those who voluntarily surrender their air guns. These fruit bearing trees act as hosts to wildlife, as well as a source of food and income for local communities.
One of the officers pioneering this initiative is Mr. Likha Obi, Range Forest Officer from Yachuli Range. He is responsible for more than a hundred air gun surrenders since April, 2021. This is a result of many co-ordination meetings and awareness activities undertaken by him to slowly and steadily educate the masses.
We thank and appreciate Mr. Obi and his team for their dedicated hard work in this cause, and for bringing about such tremendous change.
News Scan (1-31 May)
Two held in tigress killing, nail, paw seized | 1 May 2021
Five days after the Mukutban tigress was found choked to death and her body parts removed, a joint team of police and forest department arrested two persons from Pandharwani village and seized a paw and nail from them.
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Red sanders seized at Chennai port | 1 May 2021
A total of 6.4 MTS of Red Sanders was seized by Chennai Sea Customs from a container meant for export to Taiwan, said Chennai Customs.
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Pangolin rescued in Mayurbhanj district, man arrested | 10 May 2021
Mayurbhanj police rescued a pangolin and arrested a person from Bangiriposi area for keeping the endangered creature with him.
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Three TN youngsters shoot videos attacking elephants, booked by forest department | 11 May 2021
The Tamil Nadu forest department has identified three of the young men who were caught on camera teasing and attacking wild elephants near Thirumoorthy hills, close to Udumalaipettai. The videos of the attack went viral on social media, and on May 6 the police booked the three men along with others involved.
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Leopard poached by poisoning calf carcass, paws and canines removed | 12 May 2021
A three-year-old leopard with missing paws and canines came to light in Sadak Arjuni forest range under Gondia division. This indicates that local poachers selling carnivore body parts are active in Gondia and Bhandara districts.
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Migratory bird hunter arrested in Khurda, seven bird carcasses recovered | 13 May 2021
Officials of Tangi Wildlife Division arrested a person on the charge of poaching migratory birds in Chilika. As many as seven carcasses of migratory birds were also recovered from him.
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Chinkara poached in DNP area in Sam | 13 May 2021
A case of poaching of Chinkara at Desert National Park in Sam area of Jaisalmer has come to light. Unidentified poachers, after poaching the Chinkara, threw its remains. The forest department reached the spot and the team has started an investigation in the case and have lodged a case against unidentified poachers.
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142 red sanders logs recovered, two held | 15 May 2021
In a joint operation, the forest department officials and police arrested two smugglers and recovered 142 red sanders logs, two mobile phones, one motorcycle from their possession.
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Three youth held, red sanders logs seized | 15 May 2021
The Andhra Pradesh State Anti-Red Sanders Smuggling Task Force personnel nabbed three youth and seized two red sanders logs, two cars and a motorcycle at Anjaneyapuram forest check-post between Renigunta and Railway Kodur.
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‘Poacher’ held with arms in Alipurduar | 15 May 2021
A suspected member of a poaching gang was arrested by a team of the state forest department after a cache of arms was seized from near his house at a village in Alipurduar district.
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One held over Jaldapara rhino poaching | 15 May 2021
Authorities of the Jaldapara National Park have arrested one person in connection with the poaching of a rhino on 4 April in the Chilapata forest range in the Jaldapara National Park, and recovered two rifles, 24 bullets and three silencers used in the poaching.
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Sandalwood seized, five arrested | 17 May 2021
The Pimpri-Chinchwad police arrested five men and recovered 207 sandalwood trunks from them, according to Krishna Prakash, commissioner of Pimpri-Chinchwad police
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Poacher in Odisha held with 10 kg boar meat | 18 May 2021
Wildlife sleuths on Sunday arrested a 23-year-old youth for poaching in Dukura range of Similipal Division (South) in Mayurbhanj district. The accused Hari Naik, a native of Kasikundal under Udala police limits, was held with 10 kg wild boar meat during forest patrolling in the area.
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Peacocks, peahens among 18 birds poisoned in Akola | 18 May 2021
Close on the heels of 10 blackbucks poisoned in Jalgaon Jamod town in Buldhana district, 18 birds — seven peacocks, six peahens, three lapwings and two sparrows — died due to poisoning in Barshitakli range under Akola forest division.
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Poaching case in Leh | 19 May 2021
In a poaching incident, a blue sheep was found killed in Nee village. The incident reportedly took place on May 13 evening between Kairy and Nee village in Rong Changthang when a wildlife team was returning from Changthang.
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Two arrested for killing black buck in Indapur | 19 May 2021
Two men were arrested for killing a black buck alias chinkara by the Pune unit of the state forest department in the forest area in the border dividing Kalas and Kazad villages of Indapur taluka in Pune.
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Stray dogs kill two chinkaras in Jaisalmer village, one wounded | 20 May 2021
Two chinkaras died because of delay in treatment and one was seriously injured after four stray dogs attacked them near Khetolai village in Lathi area of Jaisalmer district. Later, the forest department tranquilised the dogs and sent them to Jodhpur.
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Two animal traffickers arrested with three pythons & 37 turtles | 20 May 2021
Muzaffarnagar district has arrested two alleged animal traffickers from Haiderpur wetland and recovered 37 turtles and three pythons from their possession.
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27-year-old arrested for illegal sale of deer horns | 22 May 2021
A 27-year-old man was arrested by Pune city police crime branch for selling smuggled sambar deer horns in Haveli. The police recovered three horns and one two-wheeler vehicle from the man.
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Ambergris seized, three arrested | 23 May 2021
Ahmedabad Police arrested three persons and recovered ‘ambergris’, an extremely rare substance which is also known as ‘whale puke’, weighing 5.35 kgs.
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Poachers take off with two dozen baby turtles | 24 May 2021
Barely a few hours after wildlife authorities released 785 baby turtles into the Chambal river in Agra on the occasion of World Turtle Day, the news of turtles being hunted down by poachers in the region has alarmed the local forest department and the police.
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Six peacocks die mysteriously near Pollachi | 24 May 2021
One peacock and four peahens next to Anaimalai near Pollachi were found dead in mysterious circumstances.
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Carcasses of 48 Indian flapshell turtles found in Jalgaon | 24 May 2021
The state forest department in Jalgaon district recovered the carcasses of at least 48 Indian flapshell turtles from an under-construction aqueduct in Asoda village.
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Comment on YouTube video uncovers wildlife smuggling racket in Meghalaya | 25 May 2021
A subtle comment on a YouTube video helped wildlife crime control sleuths recently uncover a racket which switched over to digital space for smuggling wild animal parts from the Northeast, following the restrictions imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Poacher arrested with two spiny-tailed lizards in DNP | 26 May 2021
DNP forest department personnel arrested a poacher with two spiny-tailed lizards. Poachers shot dead a Nilgai at Jawai new area near Chadhan. The incident comes close on the heels when two chinkaras were killed at DNP.
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Two poachers arrested near Punjur! Spotted deer meat, jumbo tusk among articles seized | 26 May 2021
Two men were arrested on the charges of poaching a spotted deer near Punjur. The accused captured the deer by using a snare and killed and burnt the pelt on the spot and sold the meat to Nayaka.
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Infographic: Jessica Luis