An increasing demand for organs and skins of rare wild animals in the international market is spelling danger for wildlife in India. Talking to UNI, Uttar Pradesh Chief Conservator of Forests Ram Lakhan Singh said that the killing of 'Sakhi', the 13-month-old tigress at the Nehru Zoo in Hyderabad had woken wildlife supporters up with a start. Dr Singh said, “The incident, the first of its kind anywhere in the world, showed the security and management at our zoo's, forest reserves and national parks in bad light. He said that smugglers of rare wild animals were emerging as a greater threat to wildlife than poachers. Organs of several wild animals are used as aphrodisiacs in several countries. Dr Singh that said flora and fauna are complimentary to each other and essential to efforts by scientists to bring about genetic improvement.
He denied that forest officials were not equipped to deal with poachers who had access to sophisticated weaponary. More than security, it is the management of the zoos and the national parks that needs to be streamlined. He said that security at the zoos in the state had also been strengthened following the Hyderabad incident. Dr Singh said that animals are now being locked in their shelters at night and senior zoo officials are entrusted with the keys. Zoo employees have been told to shift their residences out of the zoo premises. The administrator and the director of the Lucknow Zoo have been directed to patrol during night too.
Bureau Report