Sariska: CBI Confirms three poaching deaths

Hindustan Times , Monday, March 21, 2005
Correspondent : Staff Reporter
The big cat does not look out of place as it strides across the arid landscape But this is a remote corner of Africa and the animal is an Asian"import" -a rare South China tiger.

Born in a Chinese zoo and named Hope, he was brought to South Africa as a cub for an experiment that may be the last chance to save the species from extinction –a "rewilding program" aimed at encouraging the' animals to hunt on their own.

The ultimate goal is for to breed and impart their hunting skills to their offsprings -who'll then be sent to a reserve in China.

"We are giving them the opportunity to develop their survival skills," says biologist Gus van Dyk, THE CBI team investigating the disappearance of tigers at the Sariska Sanctuary has confirmed three poaching deaths

after interrogation of an arrested person. The 12-member team, headed by DIG B.K. Sharma, b~gan investigations on Saturday and is expected to submit its report to the PrimeMinister on March 20.

The team is convinced that poachers killed at least three tigers and evidence to this effect has been collected. Sharma told HT on Sunday that one Heeral Lal Khatik had been arrested for purchasing a tiger skin for Rs 59,000. This was

later sold to a Smuggler, Sansar Chandra, for Rs 81,000 in Delhi. Apart from this, he also sold two panther skins. The tiger was killed in June 2004. The forest department has also taken two persons into custody for killing two panthers and a tiger in 2003. The CBI team, which made an extensive survey of the sanctuary; is undertaking an intensive inquiry into the whole string of incidents. Till now, forest department officials and sanctuary staff, had been maintaining that the tigers had 'migrated' to other areas and hence couldn't be traced. However, it is now clear that the tigers had become victims of poaching. Meahwhile, wildlife experts expressed happiness at the Centre's decision to institute a CBI probe. Fateh Singh Rathore, a leading conservationist from Ranthambore, said the enquiry would be like a Post-mortem examination. "It will help us know actually what happened. I think it is a good step," he said.

Rathore said the Centre should take control of all tiger parks across the country and the state governments should

no longer administer these.

Congress MLA Chandra shekhar Baid said the state BJP government should be held responsible for the damage done to the Sariska and Keoladeo National Parks. The state government is sore over the fact that it was not consulted on the matter.

 
SOURCE : Hindustan Times, Monday, March 21, 2005
 


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