Foresters Take Up Anti-Snare Operation to Protect Wild Animals in Tiger Reserve
They would also use metal scanners to locate the snares mostly made of iron wire, and remove them.
Vijayawada: The state’s foresters have intensified the anti-snare operation in the Nagarjuna Sagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve, subsequent to the death of two tigers that got trapped in snares in the last two years.
As part of the operation, forest personnel would move on foot in a given area, like a base camp spread over 20km radius, searching for snares. They would also use metal scanners to locate the snares mostly made of iron wire, and remove them.
This operation would be done for 15 days a month in the entire NSTR area with focus on Atmakur and Nandyal areas, where poaching has been reported.
Herbivores like sambar, spotted deer, wild boars and rabbits are trapped with snares for their meat. At times, the carnivores like leopards and tigers get trapped in the snares accidentally. They suffer severe wounds and subsequently die.
Two tigers were killed mainly in Atmakur area while a leopard was trapped in a snare and died in Nandyal area in the last two years.
The foresters noticed an old and weak tiger moving towards human habitations in the Srisailam area recently. Upon close observation with the help of camera traps, its hind legs were found to be very weak. However, subsequently, it gained strength and moved deep into the forest area.
As part of a multi-pronged strategy, the foresters have started raiding the local markets selling snares mainly in Kurnool and Adoni areas, to seize them and book the culprits.
Forest officials from both AP and Telangana have also taken up joint operations in common border areas to check sale of snares in weekly shandies and open markets. The AP foresters are keeping a track of habitual and notorious offenders involved in poaching activities mainly for herbivores like spotted deer, sambar etc.
Several cases had been booked earlier to curb such a practice and ensure the NSTR is free from snares.
The foresters are also using drones in the forest area to sight the wild animals trapped in the snares so that they can move in fast to tranquillise and shift them to veterinary hospitals for treatment.
Additional principal chief conservator of forests (Wildlife) Shantiti Priya Pande said, “We are taking up an intensified anti-snare operation in NSTR to weed out snares . We are carrying out raids on markets. We will initiate stringent action against those who either sell or set up snares in NSTR.”
