The focus is back on wildlife crimes, with the Special Task Force (STF) of Odisha Crime Branch last Saturday arresting a poacher and recovering elephant tusks weighing over 5 kg from his possession. The arrest that followed raids at a place between Patung and Kalanda under Keonjhar sadar police limits was based on a tip-off that the accused was trying to strike a deal with prospective buyers of elephant tusks.
With a sudden rise in cases of poaching, the Crime Branch STF has launched a massive operation against the illegal wildlife trade in the state. Around 25 leopard skins, 15 elephant tusks, seven deer skins, 11 live pangolins, 19.5 kg of pangolin scales, two leopard teeth, 29 leopard claws and 46 live wild parrots have been seized in the course of this drive over the past two years.
Wildlife crimes registered an increase during the past two years. The state government’s preoccupation with fighting the COVID-19 pandemic gave wildlife smugglers an opportunity to step up their activities. However, with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik laying special emphasis on preserving the state’s wildlife, the STF stepped up its drive against wildlife criminals. Sometime ago, the STF had arrested two persons and recovered a leopard skin and two elephant tusks from their possession. The incident followed close on the heels of forest officials rescuing five bear cubs from a place on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.
It is common knowledge that inter-state gangs are involved in the trade of wild animals and their body parts, which fetch high prices in the international market. In the last one and a half years the enforcement officials have seized as many as 13 leopard skins, nine elephant tusks, two deer skins, three live pangolins and 5 kgs of pangolin scales, and they have arrested 27 persons in connection with the illegal trade.
But the criminals continue to be active. In fact, wildlife smuggling in the state has gone high-tech, making the fight against it even more challenging. Sometime ago, when the law enforcement agencies busted a pangolin smuggling racket, they were surprised to find that deals were being made online with criminals operating through WhatsApp groups. The online operation of these criminals is quite elaborate with websites being used to upload videos of captured animals for the benefit of potential customers. Interested customers can then get in touch with the smugglers through WhatsApp. Codes are created to ensure secrecy. Precautions like screening of middlemen are also taken before finalizing the deals.
While the critically endangered pangolins are the most trafficked animals, leopards are also being stalked mercilessly by the poachers in Odisha forests. They are valued for their skin and body parts. Time has come to put an end to this merciless trade that is threatening the state’s wildlife, an irreplaceable resource.
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