BHUBANESWAR: The Chilika Wildlife Division arrested a poacher and seized bird meat from his possession at Sundarpur village under Tangi range on Wednesday night.
The poached bird was a Large Whiskered Teal and about two-and-a-half kgs of meat was seized from the poacher who was arrested during patrolling by the Tangi Range sleuths.
The meat was being carried in a tiffin box on a bicycle and the forest officials suspect that it was meant for ‘Chhadakhai’ on Friday.
With the birds arriving at Chilika lagoon for their winter sojourn, the Wildlife Division has beefed up protection measures to thwart poaching.
As many as 17 protection camps have been set up across five ranges. At least 10 camps are located in Tangi Range alone. “We have also set up a boat camp and a mobile camp consisting seven men,” DFO Bikash Ranjan Das said.
So far, one lakh birds have arrived at the brackish water lagoon. Since mud-flats in Nalabana Sanctuary are still emerging, large number of birds are yet to roost.
