Wildlife activists in Uttarakhand have demanded an inquiry into the role of NGOs in seizure of leopard pelts in Uttarakhand this year. Senior officials of forest department have acknowledged that there is a very distinct possibility of informants working for various NGOs actually enticing villagers to poach the spotted felines.

“The increased arrests involving these organisations are a result of an ongoing turf war between these bodies”, said the departmental officials.

According to reliable sources, out of 29 leopard pelts seized from different parts of Uttarakhand this year, 22 have been seized with the help of NGOs including the Wildlife Trust of India and Wildlife Protection Society of India.

Recently, a person was arrested with three leopard pelts by the police in Joshimath. Sources state that notorious WTI informant Bhagat Ram was involved in this seizure inspite of the fact that the issue of the criminal activities of this informant has been raised with both the WTI and State forest department.

The pelts seized in Joshimath some days ago were few months old, which has substantiated allegations that some NGO informants are actually encouraging villagers to poach leopards in order to increase the number of pelt seizures.

The WTI Vice-Chairman Ashok Kumar already said that if investigations prove that anyone working as an informant for the trust is abetting poaching, then the service of the person will be terminated and the person will be handed over to authorities to face legal action.

According to principal chief wildlife warden (Wildlife), Srikant Chandola, there is a distinct possibility that some Wildlife activists in Uttarakhand have demanded an inquiry into the role of NGOs. However, the villagers who end up killing leopards poison the animals killed by the feline and then track the leopard till its dead.

“The remoteness of the locations where such activities take place has made it harder to expose the anomalies. Seizures of leopard pelts alone is not enough to ensure wildlife protection and prevent poaching”, stressed the CWW.

Meanwhile, wildlife activists have expressed concern averring that an ongoing turf war between NGOs is actually abetting some villagers to poach leopards. It remains to be seen whether the authorities in Uttarakhand are able to take effective steps to curtail this major anomaly.