Rs 20 lakh lizards new target of poachers in northeast

IMPHAL: It's not only big animals like tigers, rhinos and elephants that are being poached.

Lately, poachers in the northeast have been eyeing a much smaller creature — a reptile species called the tokay gecko — which can be smuggled in bulk and fetches good returns in the grey market. The tokay gecko, a nocturnal Asian lizard growing up to 40cm in length and weighing up to 200gm, is in great demand in some Asian countries for its reported medicinal values. A mature gecko can easily fetch up to Rs 20 lakh.

Poachers are raiding the forests of Manipur that have an abundant populace of the lizard species. Exact numbers are not known since no definite census of the species has been carried out, says experts. But in the past six months, over 70 tokay geckos have been rescued by police, forest officials, activists of the People For Animal (PFA) Thoubal unit and Assam Rifles personnel from various parts of the state.

Although wildlife experts and environmentalists say there is no scientific proof to substantiate the purported medicinal properties of this reptile species, the tokay gecko has become hot property. Even locals seem to have realized that selling a bunch of these can make one a millionaire overnight and want to cash in on the demand.

In fact, such is the craze for the lizard that many have begun rearing the rare reptile species at home. According to Lourembam Biswajit, managing trustee of PFA Thoubal, there have been reports of poor farmers in the valley districts being given baby geckos by smugglers for rearing in a clandestine manner. Once the lizards grow up, they are taken back by the smugglers who pay the farmers handsomely for raising them, says Biswajit.

In the face of the increasing poaching, smuggling and illegal rearing of tokay geckos in Manipur, the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau has urged the Union ministry of forest and environment (MoEF) to include the reptile species in the endangered scheduled animals' list under the Protection of Wildlife Act, 1972. Incidentally, the golden gekco, which is reportedly found in some parts of south India, has been incorporated in Schedule I, a list of endangered wildlife animals of the Wildlife Act. "It's high time the tokay gecko gets listed as endangered," says noted wildlife activist Khangembam Shamungou. "This is essential if we are to protect and preserve it better."


Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Rs-20-lakh-lizards-new-target-of-poachers-in-northeast/articleshow/17864202.cms

Tiger strikes again

The elusive tiger has struck again at the Nayamakkad Estate in Munnar. It killed a cow on Saturday night, a portion of which was eaten. A forest team led by Munnar range officer Joshy Sebastian confirmed that the cow was killed by the tiger and advised the people to keep the carcass there in order to avoid it attacking other livestock. On Monday night, the tiger dragged the carcass nearly 50 metres away and ate it. An official said night patrol had been intensified to trace the tiger.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/tiger-strikes-again/article4267712.ece

Trade in jackal skin, meat continues despite stringent laws

In a brazen incident, a few families of an itinerant tribe (Narikorava) in Tiruchendur, Tuticorin district, killed nearly a dozen jackals from a nearby forest, skinned them and displayed them along with beads in a busy market in the temple town.

An activist, T. Murugavel of Environmental Monitoring and Action Initiating (EMAI), said he was in Tiruchendur last week. When he came out after darshan at a temple, he was shocked to see the dozen skinned jackals with their heads displayed along with the beads in a public market.

The families claimed that it was not wrong to kill the jackals. Further interaction with them revealed that they used snares to trap the jackals, which were then clubbed to death.

Later, the body parts were removed and the skull retained with the skin. However, they refused to tell him the forest area from which the scavengers were trapped, he said.

Mr Murugavel said superstitions surrounding the animal led to their killing.

State Wildlife authorities said the animal is categorised under Schedule II of the Wildlife Protection Act of India 1972 and killing and displaying the trophy would attract severe punishment along with imprisonment and penalty.

Despite strict enforcement of laws to curb poaching, raw meat of jackal was found to be sold in the market. Dinkar Kumar, District Forest Officer, when contacted, said it was shocking and added that any such act would attract severe punishment.

He said the wildlife officials had been directed to conduct raids immediately in the temple town and its surroundings to find out whether any such incident had taken place.

Similarly, the Revenue officials in the district P. Kongan, Revenue Divisional Officer, Tiruchendur and C. Sankaranarayanan, Tahsildar, Tiruchendur said they did not receive any such complaint from the people.

They asked the Village Administrative Officer and Village Assistants to inspect shops in Tiruchendur area to detect the unlawful activity.


Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/trade-in-jackal-skin-meat-continues-despite-stringent-laws/article4267446.ece