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Poachers attack forest personnel

The injured forest guard is being treated at district headquarters hospital

Kendrapara: Facing stepped up vigil, members of a poaching syndicate attacked and critically injured a forest personnel in Orissa’s Bhitarkanika National Park.

Armed poachers attacked a forest guard with an axe and other sharp edged weapons on at Barapatia forest of the national park, police said.

The injured forest guard, who sustained multiple head wounds, is being treated at the district headquarters hospital here and is stated to be out of danger.

Implements seized

The attack took place when wildlife protection cell personnel seized poaching implements inside the protected forest, official sources said.

Poaching activity has picked up alarmingly since the advent of winter in the spotted deer-infested mangrove forest of the internationally-acclaimed wetland.

The fast breeding spotted deer, whose population has been rising phenomenal in recent years, are falling easy prey to poachers syndicate in and around the Bhitarkanika National Park.

Despite stepped up vigil poaching has increased as deer most often stray into human habitation, which are close to the core area of the park and are ensnared easily with nylon-made nets fitted with loops.

Majority of wildlife offences escape the notice of departmental higher-ups due to alleged covert connivance of unscrupulous subordinates and low-ranked field staff with the poaching syndicates, the sources confided.

Tiny hamlets

As many as 41 clusters of tiny hamlets have sprung up in the vicinity of the protected forest posing threat to flora and fauna of this wetland, the sources added.

- PTI

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