BHUBANESWAR: Despite a number of unnatural wildlife deaths and multiple incidents of wildlife items smuggling, Odisha reported only one offence under the Wildlife Protection Act - 1972 last year, revealed to the recently released National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report.
As per the report a total of 615 offences were registered across the country under Wildlife Protection Act in 2021 of which the highest 203 were from Uttar Pradesh followed by 106 in Rajasthan, 49 in Maharashtra, 46 in Bengal and 40 in Assam.
Notably, Odisha had reported 86 jumbo deaths in 2021. Besides, in July 2021, a joint team of Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) and Odisha and Chhattisgarh forest departments busted an inter-state smuggling racket and seized eight leopard skins from Kalahandi, while a joint team of Dhenkanal Forest Division and WCCB Central Region had also seized 14.2 kg pangolin scales from Damodarnali area of Kapilash range in Dhenkanal district and arrested two persons for their alleged involvement in it.
A number of other wildlife crimes including smuggling of wildlife items had also been reported in the State during the year. However, the registration of only one offence in the State under the Wildlife Protection Act in the year has surprised wildlife conservationists.