Forest officials at Nalsarovar Bird Sanctuary have caught a poacher and his associate red-handed with 60 live birds (their wings and legs broken) after four failed attempts over the past three months.
Khadar Imas (42) and his associate Mohammed (28) were caught by forest staff near Ranagadh village inside the state's largest protected wetland Sunday night.
The duo, residents of Jambu village in Limbdi taluka, were on a motorcycle and had with them 56 coots, two ducks and two teals in sacks, according to Dr K Sasikumar, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Nalsarovar Wildlife Division, Sanand.
They were interrogated through the night and charged with cognisable offences under the Wildlife Protection Act when they were produced before a Limbdi court on Monday, which granted the department a seven-day remand.
"We had long suspected Imas of poaching and trading birds from the sanctuary and have been tracking him for three months. There were at least four close encounters but he escaped each time. We finally caught him Sunday night inside the sanctuary," said Sasikumar.
The officer said the apprehended man is suspected to have been involved in such wildlife trade for more than a decade, and that his close relative is suspected to have also been in the illegal trade but was never caught.
"Initial interrogation has revealed Imas was selling these birds to locals as well as to some people in Ahmedabad for consumption. We will get more details after further questioning," he said.
