Red alert in UP's Dudhwa Tiger Reserve over reports of illegal wildlife trafficking

Lakhimpur Kheri: A red alert has been sounded in Uttar Pradesh's Dudhwa Tiger Reserve after authorities received reports of illegal wildlife trafficking through the porous India-Nepal border, an official said Sunday.

Principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) Sunil Pandey issued similar alerts for all forest divisions in Pilibhit, Bahraich, Gonda, Maharajganj and Balrampur districts which are close to the border.

Field director of the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) Ramesh Kumar Pandey said all patrolling teams and field staff in the DTR, including Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF), have been put on high alert and patrolling has been intensified.

"In the DTR, smart patrolling equipped with MSTrIPES was in place which has helped in nabbing 143 wildlife criminals and poachers during the last eight months. Last year the number was 60 in the same period," he said.

"A close watch over the known criminals is being kept and key focus is on all the sensitive areas," Pandey added.