Wildlife Crimes Are On The Steep Rise In Karnataka

On March 29, police in Bengaluru recovered 52 rose-ringed parakeets, and on July 28, sacks containing roughly 50 monkeys, most of them dead, were discovered abandoned on the major road in Hassan. On November 13 and 16, 571-star tortoises were discovered abandoned at two distinct bus stops in Bengaluru over the course of three days.These are only a few of the big wildlife crimes documented in Karnataka, which has some of the best-maintained wildlife reserves in the country.

Although the state has seen a drop in such crimes, during the early 2000s, while it peaked during the heydays of forest brigand Veerappan, which was killed in October 2005. However, there has been an alarming increase in recent years, which is being blamed on inadequate investigation and lack of collaboration among many organizations.

According to data, the forest vigilance wing itself has booked 565 wildlife crime and timber cases this year that are still being gathered. In the past year, 578 crimes were recorded while the year prior to it holds 778 recorded crimes associated with the wildlife. Officials from the Forest Service and the Police Department are concerned that the numbers will only rise once the final document is released.

The wildlife experts mentioned several reasons responsible for the wildlife crimes. These include covid pandemic, associated job losses, inflation, demand for quick money, myths, traditional medicine, a lack of patience, rising man-animal conflicts, and even adrenaline rush that have all been cited as reasons for wildlife crime, which is the world's second-largest illegal trade after narcotics.

Each case is being documented and a report on the developing trends is being prepared by conservationists and members of Traffic and a leading NGO focusing on wildlife trading in collaboration with the state government. Wildlife crimes are on the rise, as evidenced by the increased frequency and number of interceptions and catches by forest officials. On October 22, Bengaluru police seized 9 kg of pangolin scales, on November 16, three poachers from Chikkaballapur were arrested for murdering a deer for venison, and on November 18, Bengaluru police recovered 20 pairs of antlers or deer horns.

Meanwhile, forest officers apprehended poachers in Bandipur Tiger Reserve in September after a tiger was killed. Poachers were apprehended after murdering a deer in Nagarhole Tiger Reserve on November 18, while poachers with guns were apprehended in the same reserve on June 30.