Odisha's Decade-Long Struggle Against Wildlife Poaching: 6,900 Arrested

The past decade has seen Odisha's law enforcement arrest over 6,900 poachers involved in the killing and trafficking of nearly 3,000 wildlife animals. Measures such as joint task forces and anti-poaching squads have been implemented to combat these crimes and protect the state's rich biodiversity.

More than 6,900 poachers have been arrested over the past decade for killing and trafficking 2,869 wildlife animals, Odisha's Forest, Environment, and Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia told the state Assembly on Tuesday.

Responding to Congress legislator Taraprasad Bahinipati's query, the minister revealed that law enforcement agencies have apprehended 6,960 poachers in the last 10 years. The authorities confiscated various body parts of wild animals, including skins, nails, horns of tigers, beer, deer, sambar, and other wildlife, elephant tusks, and pangolins.

Confiscated elephant tusks are stored at the state government's treasury, while other seized items are kept at forest range offices. A joint task force of forest and police officials has been formed to address wild animal poaching and implement necessary measures, he stated.

Additionally, 54 endangered species, including 17 reptiles, 15 birds, and 22 mammals, have been identified in Odisha as per the IUCN Red Data Book. To safeguard these species, 19 sanctuaries, a national park, two tiger reserves, three elephant reserves, and one biosphere reserve have been established in the state.

Anti-poaching and anti-smuggling squads, equipped with vehicles, arms, and communication networks, are stationed at key points to monitor and prevent illegal activities. Forest field staff undergo training to enhance intelligence gathering, ensure effective detection, and secure high conviction rates.

A 24x7 control room has been set up in forest divisions and headquarters to collect public information on wildlife matters. Initiatives like 'Vana Samrakshana Samiti' and eco-development committees, involving school students and community members, have been launched to protect wildlife and reduce human-elephant conflicts. Efforts are also underway to enrich habitats by planting fodder, creating and renovating water bodies, and implementing fire prevention measures.

(With inputs from agencies.)