BHUBANESWAR: Even as forest fires rage across protected areas, poachers have emerged as another challenge for the Forest department. At least five poachers were apprehended from different protected forests including Similipal in the last 24 hours, even as the figure of such arrests has gone up to at least 12 in the last three days.
PCCF (wildlife) Susanta Nanda said three poachers who were trying to set a portion of Karlapat sanctuary on fire were arrested on the day. The Forest department seized two country-made rifles and other incriminating materials from them.
Similarly, forest officials in Similipal South division arrested two poachers who had entered the tiger reserve for hunting. “The hunters always try to take the advantage of forest fire and set more places on fire for poaching. Incriminating materials were seized from them during the arrest, while one with a gun managed to flee,” said an official from the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR).
Sources said apart from the two arrests, forest officials have also apprehended seven more poachers, five on Friday and two on Thursday from near Dukura range of the tiger reserve in Similipal South division. Four rifles were seized from them along with other incriminating materials including matchbox and oil. “We suspect their involvement in incidence of forest fire in some places of the tiger reserve. Further investigation is on,” the forest official said.
On the other hand, forest officials said three persons were arrested while allegedly trying to set fire and hunt wild animals in Rutungia proposed reserve forest of Daringbadi range on Friday night. The accused were identified as Mohit Pradhan, Rajesh Pradhan of Kilukupa and Akshay Pradhan of Kundupanga village. They were arrested under the Wildlife Protection Act.
There has been a surge in forest fire across the state. On Saturday, the state reported 488 fire points along with 42 active episodes. Similipal reported fire points in at least a dozen places. Forest officials have claimed most of the forest fires are manmade and usually handiwork of poachers, hunters or miscreants.
A senior officer from STR said night patrolling has been intensified in the tiger reserve, while six units of Smilipal Tiger Protection Force (STPF) have been mobilised to check illegal trespassing into the protected area. Forest officials said similar patrolling has also been intensified in other forests of the state to crack down on poachers and deal with the menace effectively.