Though authorities in the Corbett tiger reserve maintain an alert throughout the rainy season, the measures aimed at wildlife security have been stepped up further as more than a dozen persons involved in different cases of tiger poaching have secured bail.
Talking to The Pioneer, Corbett wildlife warden SC Upadhyay said that an alert is maintained in the tiger reserve throughout the rainy season every year considering the increased possibility of poachers and other wildlife criminals trying to capitalise on the changes brought about by the monsoon. “Our monsoon alert will continue till October 31 and we will focus on various activities related to wildlife protection. However, recently the 12 persons who were nabbed in December 2013 with two tiger pelts in the Bijnor- Najibabad area in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh secured bail from the court. Apart from these men, those nabbed in the past for the Bijrani tiger poaching case in Corbett have also secured bail from the court. Poachers and other wildlife criminals out on bail are a cause for concern not just for Corbett authorities but for all authorities concerned. We have further stepped up wildlife security in Corbett,” he said.
It is pertinent to mention here that Corbett shares its southern boundary with neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. Though the Corbett administration has also facilitated electronic surveillance along the southern boundary, this area remains one of the most favoured zones for those seeking to intrude into Corbett for poaching and other wildlife crimes. With about 220 tigers living in the Corbett tiger landscape, this tiger remains one of the major targets for big cat poachers. Measures like long distance patrolling, electronic surveillance and tapping into the network of informers are among the measures being taken by the authorities to further improve wildlife security in Corbett.