Wildlife Protection Society of India Nabs Notorious Poacher Wanted for Killing Eight Lions
One of India’s most wanted poachers is now being held by WPSI. He is accused of killing eight lions and is considered the main supplier of large carnivore skins, including endangered tiger and leopard.
The Times of India reports that Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) provided the Madhya Pradesh forest department officials with the intelligence information they needed to finally nab notorious poacher Duruu Harpasad Pardhi.
Law enforcement had been after Duruu since 2007, when 65 animal skins (1 tiger, 21 leopard, 43 otter) were seized and he was identified as the supplier. Police have also been after Duruu for laying animal traps in the Umarzari area of Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM) adjacent to Nagzira wildlife sanctuary and two traps in Wadsa forest division.
In 1998, Duruu’s father was caught with traps, but was freed on bail.
WPSI fed up with “ad hoc wildlife protection”
WPSI’s Central Director Nitin Desai said, “We have had enough of wildlife protection on an ad hoc basis.” He stressed the need for “intelligence-led enforcement.”
India has come under fire lately for losing all of the tigers in Panna Tiger Reserve – 24 of the big cats in three years – to poachers.
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