Simlipal Tiger Reserve’s newly acquired canine anti poaching squad has thwarted poaching attempts by detecting three spots in core area where poachers had poisoned the salt licks. Trailing the sources, the dog squad could detect five to six poachers lay in ambush nearby.
Come Makar Sankranti, poaching incidents increase in the area as the tribals go on a mass-hunting spree to mark the occasion on ritualistic basis.
According to Field Director, Anup Kumar Nayak, the two dogs on duty with the forest department had detected three spots in Nawana South Range recently and were thus instrumental in protecting the wild animals that visit salt licks largely after dusk.
The forest staffs in the local Range Office also managed to detect five to six poachers waiting nearby with the help of the tracking dog squad. While the dogs managed to nab one of them, the rest managed to flee leaving their belongings behind. Traditional weapons as bows, arrows and axe were recovered from the spot. A case has been registered with Nawana South Range in this regard.
The dog squad comprising of a German Shepherd and a labrador is currently deployed in Nawana South Range which is vulnerable to poaching. The dog squad that had been acquired last month were specially trained at the National Training Centre for Dogs (NTCD) under the Border Security Force at Tekanpur in Madhya Pradesh. The two have been specially trained to track cases of poisoning.
Apart from this, a joint team of Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF) and police are staging a flag march in four tribal-dominated villages near the sanctuary, to keep the poachers at bay.
Bhanumitra Acharya, Honorary wildlife warden STR, who is particularly coordinating the anti-poaching measures within the reserve said, the poachers mainly target deer, sambar and wild boar for bush meat. “Since their poaching will affect the prey base of tigers, we are taking every step to stop hunting,” said Acarya. The local Intelligence network comprising of local youths comprising the STPF has been galvanised. He said four cases of poaching were reported last year around this time.