Guwahati, June 20 (MExN): Expressing its utter dismay at the poaching of another one-horned rhinoceros at Kaziranga National Park (KNP) in a fortnight, Nature’s Beckon and Journalists’ Forum Assam (JFA) have demanded stringent actions against the culprits.
The killing of seventh rhino till date this year at the most protected forest reserve establishes that the poachers are more organized and the international wildlife trade remains too aggressive to be dealt with than it was understood, the organisations said in a joint release.
Altogether 12 rhinos had be killed in Assam this year with KNP leading the figure at 7, followed by 3 at Orang National Park and 1 each at Burhachapori Wildlife Sanctuary and Manas National Park respectively, it added.
“The relentless poaching of rhinos in KNP reflects the desperate attempt by those criminals to sabotage the anti-poaching conservative initiative. But it must continue to target the poachers and also the illegal wildlife traders across northeast India,” said the statement.
Appreciating the recent crackdown on rhino-poaching by the new government at Dispur which resulted in the arrest of many professional poachers, the organization called for effective interrogation and necessary investigations of those poachers which may lead to some vital clues regarding the illegal wildlife trades.
“It needs no mention that both Nature’s Beckon and JFA claimed a decade back that a section of Assam forest officials were involved in the illegal wildlife trade, which is now vindicated by the recent statement of the State forest minister Pramila Rani Brahma,” asserted the statement.
However, maintaining that the forest department still possesses dedicated forest official and workers, the organisations called for strengthening by the department and supports by the nature loving people.
“The fringe villagers as well as the committed skilled youths may be engaged effectively in the protection initiatives.”
