State loses 20 tigers, 45 leopards to poaching since 2018, reveals RTI query

 

 

All the tiger poaching cases reported from Vidarbha Of total 45 leopard poachings reported in State, 15 are from Vidarbha

DESPITE lockdown, poaching of tiger and leopard continued unabated in Maharashtra. As per the figures obtained by Nagpur-based activist under Right to Information (RTI) Act, the State lost total 24 tigers with 20 of them to poaching, and 57 leopards with 45 of them to poaching, since January 2018.

From January 1, 2018 to September 8, 2021, Maharashtra lost 24 tigers. As many as 20 of them were lost to poaching. What is more serious is the fact that all these tiger deaths, including those for poaching, have been reported from Vidarbha region. More surprising is the fact that most of these tiger deaths -- 15 out of total 24 -- were reported between January 2020 and September 8, 2021. As everyone knows, after March 2020, there was lockdown and subsequent restrictions on transport due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Of 20 tiger poaching cases revealed in response to RTI Act application by activist Abhay Kolarkar, maximum were from Chandrapur district. Of these poachings, four each were reported in Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) division and Brahmapuri division, and three from Umred-Paoni-Karhandla Tiger Reserve division of Forest Department, and rest from other divisions in Vidarbha region.

Of these poaching incidents, four tigers were killed due to poisoning, as reported on January 4, 2021, near village Navegaon Sadhu in Umred-Paoni-Karhandla Tiger Reserve. These included one female and three cubs. In another incident reported on July 9, 2019, three tigers were killed in poisoning for poaching, near village Metepar in Chimur Range of Brahmapuri division in Chandrapur

district. These three tigers included one female, two

cubs including one male and one female.

In one more incident of poaching reported on June 18, 2020, two tigers were killed due to poisoning near Kodegaon lake in village Sitaram Peth in TATR division in Chandrapur district.

The office of Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Head of Forest Force), revealed in response to Kolarkar’s application under RTI Act that 57 leopards were killed between January 2018 and September 3, 2021, in various parts of Maharashtra. Of these, 45 were poached, and there was seizure of leopard skin in one case. Of total 57 leopards killed during the aforesaid period, 23 casualties were reported from Vidarbha region. Of these 23 leopards, 15 were poached and eight were electrocuted.

Again, 34 of these total 57 leopard deaths were reported between January 2020 and September 3, 2021. Most of this period covers lockdown and restrictions due to COVID-19 pandemic.

Two incidents, reported respectively on February 1 and February 28 in the year 2020, involved deaths due to electrocution of two leopards. While the first incident was reported in Bhadravati Range in Chandrapur district, the second was reported in Alegaon Range in Akola division of Forest Department.