Dehradun: Abhishek Singh, dentist-turned-wildlife activist, was the one who first brought to the notice of forest officials the king cobra nest in the Mussoorie forest division. Singh now has a network of local people who inform him of developments in the region. He was also involved with the relocation of the king cobra hatchlings to the Rajaji Tiger Reserve.
Talking to TOI, Singh said his interest in wildlife conservation began while he was still a schoolboy. "My tryst with wildlife began in the Kansrau range of Rajaji Tiger Reserve in 2009. I used to visit the area frequently over the weekends even as a schoolchild. I have interacted with snake charmers in the area, and that has led me to learn how snakes are caught. I studied dentistry, and after finishing my course, I founded the NGO EFFECT (Endangered Flora and Fauna on Earth Conservation Team). That helped me continue my passion of learning about snakes. I would be called to rescue snakes that people found in their houses or gardens. The calls were at first made by individuals, but later even the forest department began to call for help, to train forest guards. Till now, I have trained about 500 forest guards in the technique of snake rescue."
In time, Singh also got to know of poaching activities in the area from local people. That is when he found it necessary to set up his own team of informers, who now spread across Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana and parts of UP.
"We first exposed trade of endangered pangolins - we recovered 40 kg of its meat from people at Sapera Basti near Dehradun. The meat was eaten, the animal's scales were sold to illegal traders. We found, in 2010, that some people were illegally keeping turtles that fell under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act in aquariums. We have saved 600 live turtles till now," he said.
Singh had also been instrumental in nabbing six wildlife poachers in 2013 found to have tiger skins in their possession. It was on information provided by him that the forest department managed to nab Gopi, a poacher of the notorious Bavaria gang in 2012. At the time of his arrest, Gopi had a leopard skin with him. More recently, a gang of poachers at the border of Kalagarh near Corbett Tiger Reserve was arrested with 20 kg of turtle meat and 33 live turtles, near the Ramganga river.
Singh said he was concerned that many villagers in areas adjoining reserve forests have learnt the trade of poaching and actively aid gangs of poachers.
