HYDERABAD: The prominent wildlife belt of Andhra Pradesh, the Rampachodavaram forest in East Godavari
has now turned into a den of illegal skin traders. Stacks of animal
skin from this forest are routinely sold to collectors, both from India
and aboard, every month for princely sums ranging between Rs 15,000 and
Rs 3 lakh, say local foresters.
Observers say that apart from the big cats such as tigers and panthers that draw maximum returns, even the Indian bison, mouse deer and deer are put up for sale. While these dealings have been taking place for a few years, they rue that the state forest department's negligence has allowed it grow into an organized trade now.
Running this lucrative business from behind the thick foliage are groups of tribals who, lured by the wildlife wealth of this forest, have infiltrated into AP from the neighbouring states of Odisha and Chhattisgarh. "Though they started to come about 10 years back, their numbers have swelled now. At least 100 of them are seen in the forest during any time of the year," said a wildlife activist operating in the area adding, "Some hunt only for meat while others poach to trade the skin. Even animal horns are sold openly here."
Besides an exhaustive collection, these illegal traders also have a fixed rate chart. Tiger skin: Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh, other wild animals (boar, deer, bison): Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh and deer horns: Rs 15,000 for a pair.
"Such widespread poaching has destroyed the wildlife count of not just this area but of all small forest belts between Rampachodavaram and Upper Sileru in Visakhapatnam," said K Ramaswamy from the Council for Wildlife Conservation attributing this menace to the state department's failure to man AP's borders. "We have brought this issue to the notice of the forest officials numerous times. Yet they have showed no interest to address it. No official is keen on venturing out into the forest to nab the offenders or deploy personnel to check infiltration," he added.
Sounding a word of caution, wildlife biologists note how continuous hunting could kill the forest belt that always had a rich amphibian, reptile and mammal population. As per 2010 tiger census, the region also boasted of as many as nine tigers. "Even now there are a good number of tigers who are living dangerously," said Imran Siddiqui, a wildlife expert associated with the Hyderabad Tigers Conservation Society. He added, "This moist deciduous forest always has healthy rainfall. The quality of the forest is therefore very good and conducive to wildlife. If managed well, this can prove to be a major breeding ground for animals."
But considering the indifference among forest officials, that remains a distant possibility. When contacted, S V Kumar, principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) maintained that the forest was well protected by his officials.
"No case of animal skin trading has ever been reported from here. We are not aware of any infiltration either," he said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Animal-hide-selling-thick-and-fast-in-East-Godavari/articleshow/14480850.cms
Observers say that apart from the big cats such as tigers and panthers that draw maximum returns, even the Indian bison, mouse deer and deer are put up for sale. While these dealings have been taking place for a few years, they rue that the state forest department's negligence has allowed it grow into an organized trade now.
Running this lucrative business from behind the thick foliage are groups of tribals who, lured by the wildlife wealth of this forest, have infiltrated into AP from the neighbouring states of Odisha and Chhattisgarh. "Though they started to come about 10 years back, their numbers have swelled now. At least 100 of them are seen in the forest during any time of the year," said a wildlife activist operating in the area adding, "Some hunt only for meat while others poach to trade the skin. Even animal horns are sold openly here."
Besides an exhaustive collection, these illegal traders also have a fixed rate chart. Tiger skin: Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh, other wild animals (boar, deer, bison): Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh and deer horns: Rs 15,000 for a pair.
"Such widespread poaching has destroyed the wildlife count of not just this area but of all small forest belts between Rampachodavaram and Upper Sileru in Visakhapatnam," said K Ramaswamy from the Council for Wildlife Conservation attributing this menace to the state department's failure to man AP's borders. "We have brought this issue to the notice of the forest officials numerous times. Yet they have showed no interest to address it. No official is keen on venturing out into the forest to nab the offenders or deploy personnel to check infiltration," he added.
Sounding a word of caution, wildlife biologists note how continuous hunting could kill the forest belt that always had a rich amphibian, reptile and mammal population. As per 2010 tiger census, the region also boasted of as many as nine tigers. "Even now there are a good number of tigers who are living dangerously," said Imran Siddiqui, a wildlife expert associated with the Hyderabad Tigers Conservation Society. He added, "This moist deciduous forest always has healthy rainfall. The quality of the forest is therefore very good and conducive to wildlife. If managed well, this can prove to be a major breeding ground for animals."
But considering the indifference among forest officials, that remains a distant possibility. When contacted, S V Kumar, principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) maintained that the forest was well protected by his officials.
"No case of animal skin trading has ever been reported from here. We are not aware of any infiltration either," he said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Animal-hide-selling-thick-and-fast-in-East-Godavari/articleshow/14480850.cms
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