Bajura, June 14

Taking advantage of the nationwide lockdown, wildlife poachers have become active in Bajura, of late.

Wildlife poaching has increased in places such as Martadi, Dahakot, Manakot, Toli, Kailashmandau, Kanda, Chhatara, Rugin and Dogadi.

Poachers had killed a deer in Tribeni Municipality on June 9. But acting on a tip off, police reached the site and the poachers fled the scene leaving the dead deer there.

Bajura Forest Division Office later buried the deer. Police have started searching for people involved in the killing.

A local in Himali Rural Municipality said that poaching had increased as security personnel and forest office staffers had stopped regular patrolling in the forest areas during the lockdown. He added that people involved in smuggling animal body parts mainly targeted rare species of birds, tigers and bears, among other wildlife. He further informed that locals spent weeks in the forests to hunt wild animals. Another local said poachers used muskets to kill wild animals. He said that some even used dogs to hunt wild animals.

Hotel Entrepreneurs in Martadi said meat of wild animals was sold in Martadi and other villages openly.

A hotelier said that meat of wild birds and animals had been sold in Martadi.

A hunter said that contractors, government employees, and businessmen bought meat of wild animals and birds. Wild animals’ skin is sold in China, Tibet and India.

Meanwhile, DSP Tanka Prasad Bhattarai at Bajura District Police Office said that police had been deployed to the areas with high chances of wildlife poaching.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on June 15, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.