Counter Wildlife Trafficking Newsletter
March 2022
Wildlife Trade Trivia
Illegal Wildlife Trade in March 2022
In Focus
Hunting may have increased during the COVID lockdown
We may have hunted more wildlife during the pandemic-induced lockdowns of 2020, according to a survey. Hunting for household consumption increased during this time; sports and recreation were motivators for hunting as well, the online effort found.
These findings suggest that steps to improve livelihood and food security during such periods of socio-economic upheaval could be crucial in minimising the impact on wildlife at such times. But we may also need to look at hunting differently in such contexts, say environmental anthropologists.
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News Scan (1 to 31 March 2022)
Big Cats
Leopard skins seized, three arrested | The Statesman
The arrested persons are being interrogated. It is being investigated to ascertain whether they were part of an organized wildlife trophy smuggling racket.
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More on big cats
Smuggling of leopard skins, one smuggler arrested looking for a customer | Naidunia
Tiger found dead in Maharashtra; another injured | Times of India
Two arrested for hunting leopard, consuming its flesh | Millennium Post
Leopard dies by electrocution in UP | Ahmedabad Mirror
Leopard hide seized in Solan | The Statesman
Leopard found dead in Madhya Pradesh, claws & whiskers removed | Times of India
Birds
Black-headed munias saved from smugglers in Bengaluru | Deccan Herald
Black-headed munias are believed to be on the verge of extinction and come under Schedule 4 of the Wildlife Protection Act.
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More on birds
BSF rescues 36 pigeons of rare species from smuggling along Indo Bangladesh border | Jagran
Elephants
Three men in Tamil Nadu try to sell elephant tusks, arrested | Times of India
Forest department officials have arrested three people for attempting to sell a pair of elephant tusks.
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More on elephants
Tusker found dead in Bankura, electrocution suspected | Telegraph India
Elephant electrocuted in Assam tea estate | Times of India
Elephant's carcass found in Jungle Mahal | Telegraph India
Six held with two elephant tusks in Gossaigaon | North East Now
Odisha STF arrests wildlife criminal seizes elephant tusks | The Statesman
Exotic
Forest dept officials rescue 700 caged exotic birds in Trichy | DT Next
Forest department officials conducted raids at various places in Trichy, Tamil Nadu in a crackdown against the illegal trade of exotic birds.
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More on exotic
Police rescue a kangaroo from a truck in North Bengal | Hindustan Times
Marine
1,080 kg of sea cucumber seized from the building near Nagapattinam temple | The New Indian Express
Based on a tip-off that a person is preserving several kilos of sea cucumbers to be exported illegally, the police conducted a raid at an old building near Shri Mariamman Temple in Akkaraipettai.
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More on marine
15 kg ambergris worth crores seized in TN, five held | DT Next
205 tortoises seized from a train in Bihar's West Champaran | Hindustan Times
CG Seize 30 live sea Cucumbers | Times of India
Pangolin
Border, forest officials seize live pangolins, deer horns on Bihar-Nepal border | Down to Earth
Two endangered pangolins have been rescued and deer horns seized in Bihar’s Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR), exposing the ongoing illegal trade of wildlife.
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More on pangolin
Live pangolin recovered, six smugglers arrested | Patrika News
Two forest smugglers arrested with Pangolin from Bakhri Bazar Village | Live Hindustan
Live pangolin rescued in Sonepur | Prameya News
Red Sandalwood
DRI seizes 11.7 tonnes of red sanders from Mundra port | Deccan Herald
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) foiled an attempt of smuggling red sanders from Mundra port in the Kutch district and seized 11.7 tons of prohibited consignment.
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More on red sandalwood
Red sanders smuggler arrested with 250 kg of wood | Deccan Herald
Red sanders logs worth seized | The Hans India
Three red sanders smugglers held in Chittoor | Times of India
Red sanders weighing over three tonnes seized in Kancheepuram | DTNext
2,200kg red sanders logs concealed in oil container seized in Kerala's Kochi | India News
Three arrested, red sanders logs seized | The Hans India
Anantapur police arrests nine red sanders smugglers, logs seized | Times of India
Six arrested with red sanders logs near Sri City | The Hindu
RS Smuggling Racket Busted | Times of India
Five red sanders smugglers held in Andhra Pradesh | Times of India
Two red sanders smugglers held during a combing operation | The New Indian Express
Two red sanders smugglers held during a combing operation | The New Indian Express
Three arrested, red sanders logs seized | The Hans India
Reptiles
Six men held with sand boa snake | Times of India
Roorkee police arrested six men and seized from them a one-meter long sand boa snake, with around one crore in Roorkee. All accused, in their mid-thirties, are locals.
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Ungulates
Poachers slaughter 12 blackbucks in Andhra Pradesh | Times of India
Twelve blackbucks were slaughtered by poachers for their skin and flesh, and their heads were left behind on a deserted spot on the outskirts of Narayanapuram village in Adoni Mandal of Kurnool district.
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More on ungulates
Carcasses of 10 blackbucks found; cops on manhunt | Deccan Chronicle
Forestmen seize 4 kg flesh of deer, 3 turtles in Khapa | The Live Nagpur
Assam Jorhat Police raid hotel nab two smugglers rhinoceros horn | AajTak
Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle
Three held with star tortoises in the city; bar-headed goose killed | Times of India
The forest division officials arrested three youths from the city for trafficking six star tortoises.
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More on tortoises and freshwater turtles
Man arrested for trying to sell two Indian star tortoises | The Hindu
25 Turtles Rescued, Two Arrested In Malkangiri | OMMCOM News
Forest officials arrest man trying to sell star tortoises | The Hindu
Man Caught With Endangered Owl And Tortoise |Times of India
Other Mammals
Sloth bear trapped in snare rescued in Mancherial
A female adult sloth bear that got caught in an iron snare was rescued by Forest department officials from the forest near Gudipet village in Hajipur Mandal.
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More on other mammals
Bear Cubs Rescued, Lens On Cross-border Wildlife Trade | Times of India
Wild bear poaching gang arrested in Telangana | Times of India
Infographics:
Sangai by Jessica Luis
Illegal Wildlife Trade in March 2022 by CWT team
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