India: The forest department at Bordi, Dahanu on Thursday arrested five poachers, almost 50 days after the carcass of an adult leopard was found in Vevji village in Talasari. The five men have been charged under section 50(1) of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. They were produced in the Dahanu court and have been remanded into police custody till March 12.

The carcass was discovered on January 10 2018, when some of the leopard’s body parts were missing. Acting on a tip off, the forest department officers found the missing body parts at a chikoo farm in Talasari, following which the arrest was made. The five arrested accused include the watchman who was guarding the hidden body parts and the kingpin of the racket, Babu Navsha Sambar.

We raided the farm after we received information that parts of the leopard’s skin, skull, tail, and claws were hidden there, said D J Sonawane, Range Forest Officer (RFO), Bordi division.

The carcass has been sent for forensic analysis and we are awaiting the report, he added.

Local animal activists from Dahanu said that the Forest Department should increase patrolling in the area, as there are chances of poachers putting up wire snares to trap wild boars, rabbits, and mongooses but end up harming leopards. The forest department officials, however, said that they have increased patrolling in the area and will take further steps to prevent poaching.

(Source: The Hindustan Times)