Poaching threat: High alert sounded at R’bore

JAIPUR: A high alert has been sounded at the Ranthambore national park by the forest department after threats of possible poaching. Forest guards, police and eco-development groups have all been alerted to maintain a strict vigil in and around the park.

Interestingly, the threats from poachers come at a time when the park does not have an officiating DFO. The former DFO of the reserve R S Shekhawat has been promoted and sent to the Sariska reserve and is holding additional charge while the new DFO R P Gupta is yet to assume charge. Gupta is likely to assume office later.

According to H M Bhatia, chief wildlife warden, Rajasthan, "The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has received an email from Dharmendra Khandal warning of possible attempts by poachers from the Mongia tribe of entering the park. The NTCA alerted us after the receipt of the mail and we have increased our vigil in the reserve." Khandal is a conservation biologist of the Tiger Watch.

"There are a group of people from the Mongia tribe who have been killing wild boar around the tiger reserve and supplying its meat to Kota and other places. They have about 57 illegal guns and have been nesting here around the park. The threat lies from them," said Khandal.

"I had the information and passed it on to the forest department for action along with my name and phone number. It will require a dedicated group of people to initiate action against them and bring them to book. But sadly even after seven days no concrete action has been initiated," he added Though no additional force has been deputed for the park, but the existing forest guards have been put on high alert. They have been asked to maintain a round-the-clock vigil in the park and stay in touch over wireless."Even the eco-development groups have been asked to report any suspicious activity or person in the park," Bhatia said.

The forest department has sought the help of the police. "We have asked the police to chip in with any input on possible movement of poachers in the city or around the park," he added. However, feels Rajpal Singh, member, state wildlife board, "The forest officials are always on the alert throughout the year. They monitor every tiger closely and they have a good track record. There is no need now to press the panic button." The poaching threat come at a time when the state is yet to get over the incident of a Bengal tiger being poisoned at the Sariska reserve by villagers inside the forest.

The male tiger ST-1 was the first relocated tiger to Sariska but days after its radio signal went silent the forest department recovered its rotting body from beside a cattle track in the reserve. Though the forensic test is awaited, but the post mortem report failed to find any possible clue hinting to what the department had been harping as the outcome of a possible territorial war with another male.