Has poaching spiked during lockdown?

Two cases reported in a single day in Kodagu; four arrested, four absconding

Mysore/Mysuru: Smoke-and-sound-free environs, wild animals moving around freely inside the National Parks and Tiger Reserves indicate that nature is thriving during the Coronavirus pandemic with lack of human movement. 

For many species, lockdown may indeed be good news but for many other wild animals, however, that couldn’t be further from truth. While in towns bordering forests lockdown means less traffic on the roads and less pollution, in rural parts, it means some people are being driven to extremes to support themselves through poaching.

It is either to fend food for their families or it is just pleasure hunt. Poaching incidents during lockdown has gone up especially in the areas bordering the Tiger Reserves and Reserve Forests during lockdown giving credence to the theory that lockdown has made people restless and they are desperate for meat and some action. And for this, they venture into the jungles to hunt. 

Two incidents of poaching have been reported in Kodagu yesterday, where four poachers have been arrested along with the hunted animals. The hunt is on to identify other people involved in poaching and even those who shared the wild meat as it is an offence under the Wildlife Act, 1972. 

At Jenukallu Reserve Forest 

The first incident of poaching was reported from Somwarpet Taluk where two poachers had ventured into the Jenukallu Reserve Forest on the lookout for their quarry. Based on a tip-off, the Forest Department staff raided the house of one Kaverappa alias Thamoo from Hosahalli village and seized two kg spotted deer (Chital) meat and three kgs of barking deer meat (Kadu Kuri). 

The staff also seized Smooth-Bore Breech Loading (SBBL) Gun, three live bullets along with deer pelt. Another poacher Suresh, who had accompanied Kaverappa, was also arrested. Range Forest Officer Bharat produced the accused before a Court that sent them to 15-day judicial custody. The accused have confessed that the meat was shared among some villagers for them to sustain lockdown. 

Nagarahole National Park 

The second incident was reported from Nagarahole National Park in the wee hours of May 17, where poachers ventured into the woods at 2 am. They fired at a fawn while the rest of the herd panicked and fled the spot. However, the gunshot was heard by vigilant Forest Department watchers and they alerted the teams. 

In all, six poachers had entered the forest via Birunani village and they had come to the forest border in a car. Rushing to the spot with patrol vehicles, the forest staff managed to arrest K. Preetham and A. Robin Thimmaiah. The other four poachers vanished in the darkness. The poachers are from Birunani and Badagarakeri villages and efforts are on to arrest the other accused. 

They have seized the car and also the carcass of the fawn. Deputy Range Forest Officer Kantharaj, Forest Guard Badesaab, Watcher Chikkamada and driver Abhishek participated in the raid. 

Forest staff on alert

“During lockdown, people can’t go to work, especially those in the rural areas — who rely on going out every single day to make ends meet and come back with some food. Lockdown has robbed them of livelihood and poaching gives them some food though it is illegal,” said forest officers. 

Poachers have seen park closures, the diversion of law enforcement to COVID-19-related duties and reduced ranger patrols as ideal opportunities for poaching. Officials admit that they are in receipt of intelligence that known poaching organisers are taking advantage of the current situation. “But we are on high alert,” they said. 

Incidentally, a report by TRAFFIC, a leading wildlife trade monitoring network, has recorded a significant increase in poaching in India during the over two-month lockdown period last year. 

Animal poaching registers a sharp increase during lockdown. The report titled “Indian Wildlife Amidst the COVID-19 Crisis: An analysis of status of poaching and illegal wildlife trade” points out that reports of poaching for consumption and local trade have more than doubled during lockdown. The researchers analysed compared media reports of poaching incidents in a six-week period before the lockdown (Feb. 10 to Mar. 22) with those from six weeks during the lockdown  (Mar. 23 to May 3).

Fishing too thrives at Harangi backwaters

Not only hunting, fishing activity by youths has increased in Harangi backwaters and also at Siddapura where River Cauvery flows. However, Angling Mahseer variety is prohibited as it is on the list of endangered species. Youths form small groups and enter the backwaters and river at shallow places to catch fish. Earlier, they used to go to these places during holidays, but now during lockdown, they do it every day. 

Local youths from Nakoor, Shirangala, Suntikoppa, Hosathota, Kusboor and Madapura come to the backwaters to fish on the 5.6 km Harangi River stretch from the Harangi Dam to Koodige Bridge.

After a day-long catch, they sell the catch at designated places — mostly in front of houses — where the trade has thrived silently. The catch is usually good as small fish and medium varieties are aplenty in the backwaters due to copious rain. Of course, it is a people-friendly price and where families get regular supply of fish and the youths get some small income for them to tide over the crisis of joblessness during the lockdown.