The Uttarakhand Special Task Force and the Forest Department have arrested two suspected wildlife smugglers with ivory worth Rs 1.5 crore in Udham Singh Nagar district.
Amidst media investigations alleging that peacekeepers from Indian Army were embroiled in gold and ivory smuggling and giving arms to militias in Congo, Defence Minister A K Antony said, "Anyone found guilty will not be spared". The allegations, Antony said, were being probed by United Nations investigators.
Poacher neither minces words in condemning these self-seeking slaughterers nor leaves any stone unturned in highlighting the hard work put in by friends of the forest, notes Sukanya Verma.
The British Broadcasting Corporation alleged that the UN had covered up claims that its troops in Congo had indulged in these activities, claiming it had new eye-witness accounts to refute UN claims that no weapon transfers had taken place. The report came against the backdrop of India having its biggest-ever peacekeeping contingent in the troubled African country.
'I had the opportunity to portray a wildlife crime fighter on screen, which allowed me to express my concern for society, wildlife, and the environment. I strongly believe that humans share this planet with countless other species and hold immense respect for every living creature.'
White-lipped tamarin is a type of monkey that lives in the Amazon area of Brazil and Bolivia. Prevost's squirrel is a colourful species from the forests in the Thai-Malay Peninsula and nearby islands. Sugar gliders are tiny marsupials - 6.3 to 8.3 inches in length - native to Australia.
'With just 2.4 per cent of global landmass, India houses six to eight per cent of planetary biodiversity and hence is a prime target of wildlife criminals.'
Dog squads are sniffing out poachers and busting their plans. Geetanjali Krishna tells us more about these canine crusaders.
Currently a ton of cocoa costs about $1,845 (1,500) at the exchange, $25,610 (20,821) at big chocolate producers like Barry Callebaut and $32,082 (26,083) in the shop.
'Imagine how secure are our seaports and airports that 10,000 objects can leave every decade and our custodians are not even aware?' 'This kind of targeted looting when thieves pick and choose the best of Indian art and steal on an industrial basis will eventually impoverish our great land.'