BHUBANESWAR: Amid growing backlash over its shoddy wildlife protection measures, the Forest and Environment department has asked the Regional Chief Conservator of Forests (RCCFs) to make field visits to find out the reasons behind rising number of leopard poaching cases and submit a report.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) HS Upadhyay said all six RCCFs have been asked to visits spots where incidents of poaching or smuggling of leopard skins have been reported. The officer added that the Forest department is working in close coordination with the Special Task Force of State Crime Branch and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau to prevent leopard poaching. The protection measures will be strengthened on the basis of field inputs by the RCCFs.
In the last eight months, three leopard deaths have been reported and 12 leopard skins seized across the State, raising questions on the conservation measures in place for the big cats. While lack of enforcement measures is considered to be the major cause behind the surge in leopard poaching and smuggling of their skins, wildlife officials said the desperation for easy money, particularly during the lockdown, could be another reason.
Wildlife conservationists, however, questioned the patrolling measures in forest divisions. “The kind of massacre these seizures are revealing is extremely alarming. Leopard poaching at this scale is unprecedented anywhere in the country and the fact that forest the department is not giving enough attention to it is extremely worrying and raises serious questions on the level of protection in the forest divisions of the State,” said wildlife conservationist Aditya Panda. He said that the RCCFs during their field visit must address the lacunas and the government should take action against officials responsible for it.