Poachers have stooped to a new low in India by using crude bombs and cable snares to poach wild animals in forested areas and peripheral areas of wildlife sanctuaries in Goa. The brutal method of poaching was exposed accidently when a dog was killed by a crude bomb recently.
Animal lovers in the region believe that the passive attitude of the police towards those using crude bombs is one of the reasons for the increase in these incidents. A wild boar was found trapped in a cable wire trap in Bordem, near Bicholim, a few days earlier.
Amrut Singh of animal rescue squad (ARS), Valpoi, said that members of his NGO have attended to several cases of fatal injuries or animals killed by anti-social elements.
Crude Means to Kill
Poachers use vile methods such as stuffing meat or animal fat with locally- made explosives that explode when animals chew them. The animals either die or sometimes survive to live in a state of perpetual agony; their mouths being badly damaged.
“Poachers make crude bombs with animal fat or meat stuffed inside locally-made explosives, which explode as the animals chew them. If the animal survives the explosion, it has to live in agony. Its mouth almost blows off,” Singh explained.
The diverse fauna of wild life in the dark forests on the Goa-Karnataka border and Mahavir Wildlife sanctuary draws poachers in large numbers to this area. Recently a leopard was killed in Shigao, Colem by poachers using crude bombs. Its head and legs were cut off by them for its teeth and nails.
Earlier, in September, a local farm owner from Shigao discovered the carcass of two wild boars and a monitor lizard, victims of unknown poachers.
In June, in Mahavir wild life sanctuary, two mouse deer were found dead. That was one of the rare occasions when the poachers were caught. The forest officials arrested a poacher and seized his gun and poacher.
According to locals, there are many more such incidents. The poachers manage to dupe the forest officials by leaving the bombs or traps overnight and making away with the trapped/dead animals before the forest officials reach the site the following morning.
“The poachers are very smart; they visit the site after leaving traps or bombs overnight. By the time foresters reach the site, they shift the animals,” a local said.
The remorseless poachers sometimes cut out the parts of the animals killed in the blast and make away from the scene, leaving the battered carcass.
Deputy conservator of forests (DCF) Milind Karkhanis said the carcass of an animal had been found.
“But, we could not ascertain the method of killing, as its head and limbs were missing”, Karkhanis said.
It is not just animal lovers, but locals too who are aggrieved by the barbaric methods employed in killing the innocent wild creatures. They opine that more action needs to be taken by the law enforcing agencies
“If they can trace the crude bomb suppliers, they can easily trace the accused,” said one concerned resident.
The recent move by the local government to ban mining and other human activities in the radial buffer zone of one kilometre around six wildlife sanctuaries in Goa is a welcome one. However, it is upon animal lovers and conservationists to create a heightened awareness among the populace at large about the ill-effects of poaching and trade of animal parts and arouse their moral consciousness in that direction.
Every time there is an incident of bombing in any part of the nation, the entire country is outraged, mourns for its dead and is put on a state of high alert; not to mention the enquiry and high level probes. Why then, the apathy towards other hapless creations of God, which cannot speak out in its own defence or at the least, is totally unaware of such mal intentions or devices of heartless poachers?
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Image of rescued deer courtesy Animal Rescue Squad Goa .
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