Nayagarh: Wild animals living in the jungles under Nayagarh forest division and in Ranpur forest range under Khurda forest division have of late become easy targets for poachers, a report said.
The poachers target the herbivores that stray into human settlements in search of food and water during the summer, sparking concerns among the locals.
It was learned that they are also employing wild dogs to kill the animals. Other methods like the laying of snares, electric wires drawn from high powered transmission lines and the use of guns are also adopted for this purpose.
After killing the animal, the poachers chop it up and sell its meat openly in various villages, nearby towns and roadside hotels. The regular availability of wild animal meat at Ranganipatna Square and at Baghua Square under the Odagaon forest range is a case in point.
Moreover, deer meat is smuggled from forests of neighbouring Ganjam district and sold regularly at Odagaon, Panchrida, Badaput, and Sarankul areas in the district.
The easy availability of wild boar, deer, and sambar meat in the Godapada area is indicative of the extent of poaching in the district and the presence of a veritable market for the meat of wild animals.
Poaching of deer has become rampant in Baisipali Wildlife Sanctuary in Gania of the district, as well as in Manibhadra, Satpuri, and Khandapara jungles.
Even poachers from the Narsinghpur area in neighbouring Cuttack district visit the areas in the district close to them and sell deer meat. The seizure of wild animal meat from the residence of Nandan Hotel owner in Gania and his arrest and that of his son is another case in point.
Despite this, forest personnel have failed to curb these crimes and are often found oblivious to such incidents. At times, they conduct raids and manage to arrest some poachers, which are often proved to be the tip of the iceberg considering the number of animals killed on a daily basis, it is alleged.
The scale of poaching is so big that if not checked immediately, it can spell disaster for the entire ecosystem, affecting prey-predator balance in the forests, fear the environment lovers.
Though herbivores like sambar, barking deer and deer of Bandhamunda, Sankhajodi, Nelipada, Bhetabara and Bajrakote areas of Mala reserve forest and in forests under Ranpur forest range in the district are mostly killed, wild boars are the favourites of the poachers, according to sources.
A private estimate reveals that five sambar, seven barking deer, one deer and 200 wild boars have been killed through snares, electrocution and guns during the last two months. The smuggling of animal meat from Barbara and Dhuannali jungles in Khurda district as well as from forests under Ranpur forest range has become a regular affair.
Poachers mostly hunt wild boars in the Gochha, Gayalsingh jungles under the Odagaon forest range while the Gajendrapali, Chorakhol, Halangapali, Chemedi, Banpur, Kuradhighasa jungles are used for killing other herbivorous animals.
When contacted, DFO Khshyama Sarangi said the forest officials are conducting raids, arresting poachers and seizing arms and meat. She also assured that such raids would continue in the coming days.
PNN