Worry over poaching

Kendrapara: Frequent wildlife offences and illegal fishing in the protected forest water bodies has put forest personnel of the Bhitarkanika National Park in a spot of bother.

Since past one month, over a dozen of poaching cases have been reported. Besides, the interception of illegal fishing in the prohibited Bhitarkanika water system is being reported at periodic intervals.

“Fishing activity or any other form of human activities such as fuel wood collection within the wetland sites of the sanctuary is a cognisable offence. The forest department has stepped up its vigil on any act of trespass into the prohibited territories to ensure the safety of flora, fauna and the fragile ecosystem of Bhitarkanika,” said Rajnagar mangrove (wildlife) divisional forest officer Bimal Prasanna Acharya.

The department is sensitising the people living along the sanctuary periphery, asking them to reduce dependence on forest and its adjoining water bodies for livelihood stakes. Besides fishing, collection of fuel wood, honey, grass and leaves from the protected forest for livelihood needs is unlawful. “That’s why, the department has launched initiatives and comprehensive programmes to provide alternate livelihood stakes to the sanctuary-side villagers. A large number of local settlers are now reaping economic benefits from the department-sponsored programmes. The percentage of people who are trespassing and are breaking law is low,” he said.

Vigil has been intensified along the protected forest areas of the national park to curb poaching.

“It is due to alertness of anti-poaching squads that wildlife offenders are being intercepted at regular intervals. Though poaching is taking places, its occurrences are few and far. The forest personnel are watchful on forest areas which are infamous hunting of wild animals,” the official said.

Stray cases of wildlife poaching have come to light recently. But, the department has resolved to ensure the animals’ safety, said officials.

The acts of straying by deer and wild boar into places of human habitations are greatly exposing them to poaching threat.

Source : https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/odisha/worry-over-poaching-216271