Veerappan gone, poachers have a free run in Nilgiri biosphere (Chennai)
Veerappan gone, poachers have a free run in Nilgiri biosphere (Chennai)
DT Next
April 11, 2021
Earlier Veerappan was operating alone for more than two decades controlling
the Nilgiri biosphere, but now there are six major gangs operating in south
India, besides the timber mafia and minor poachers, said informed wildlife
sources probing the incidence of poaching for the past six years.
“During early 90’s Veerappan controlled almost the entire Nilgiri Biosphere
covering Biligiri Ranga Tiger reserve, Mudumalai tiger reserve,
Sathyamangalam tiger reserve, Anamalai tiger reserve, Bandipur Tiger
reserve and MM Hills,” said a highly placed source associated with
International Union for Conservation of Nature, who had earlier served with
Traffic India on international wildlife trade.
He also enjoyed a good network over the Parambikulam Tiger reserve and the
Wayanad wildlife sanctuary in adjacent Kerala.
Outsiders had a fear factor to cross over Sathyamangalam reserve as it was
the connecting area of TN with Karnataka and Kerala.
But after his demise in 2004, local poachers started emerging and now
poachers from north India have started patrolling the south Indian forests,
the top source said.
“It is a fact that there are at least six poaching gangs operating in Tamil
Nadu and Periyar Tiger Reserve bordering Theni is notorious for the
poachers,” said Deepak Nambiar, founder, Elephus Maximux Indicus Trust.
Though the cruelty against elephants are brought out, the fate of wild
jumbos largely goes unnoticed as the state forest departments are not
transparent in governing the forests.
Further the forests are always restricted for the biologists and activists,
thus helping a nexus to grow between the poachers and a few corrupt
officers, alleged Nambiar who has sent several petitions to the centre on
Elephant conservation.
“The lockdown had also helped the poachers to thrive on bush meat and one
of the major reasons is that the small offenders are often fined and let
out by the courts and they slowly became trained poachers targeting bigger
mammals like elephants, tigers and leopards,” said a forest range official
recalling the last year incident of wild dogs and vultures reported dead
near Mudumalai after consuming poisoned carcass kept for tigers.