A raid by the Sirmour Forest Department in Himachal Pradesh uncovered a leopard skin and other animal remains, leading to arrests and raising concerns about poaching activities in the region's protected wildlife habitats.
Key Points
- Sirmour Forest Department raided a house in Ghutanpur village, recovering a leopard skin and other animal remains.
- Two individuals were taken into custody following the discovery of the illegal wildlife products.
- The Paonta Sahib region, including Simbalwara National Park, is a habitat for protected wildlife and vulnerable to poaching.
- The raid highlights ongoing concerns about poaching syndicates operating in the Himachal Pradesh region.
- Investigation is underway to uncover the extent of the poaching network and prevent further wildlife crime.
The Sirmour Forest Department's rapid response team raided a house in Ghutanpur village on Wednesday, recovering the remains of wild animals, including a leopard skin.
Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Paonta Forest Division Aditya Sharma told the media that authorities took two people into custody and recovered one leopard skin, three pairs of Goral horns, two Barking Deer horns, leopard claws, and leopard whiskers from the house in the Paonta subdivision of Himachal's Sirmaur district.
Poaching Concerns in Paonta Sahib
Forest officials said the Paonta Sahib region, which encompasses both dense reserved forest areas and the Simbalwara National Park, is home to a significant population of protected wildlife.
Rare wildlife species frequently fall prey to poaching syndicates operating in the area.
Last month, the Forest Department team also recovered fresh meat and remains of a Barking Deer (Kakar) from an individual's home in the Mughlawala Kartarpur Panchayat of the Paonta area.
The ACF said the investigation is underway.
