Bandipur, September 19 2014: Swiftly acting upon covert information, the Karnataka State Forest Department along with the Karnataka Police Department, with assistance from Wildlife Trust of India and Voice for Wildlife, seized 2.5 kilograms of Asian elephant ivory and 50 kilograms of antlers and horns, last week. The latter were from various mammals including sambar, chital and gaur.

Kumar (22), Sudakar (22), Sundar (43) Kumar (28), Keshawa (26) and Ravi (26) were arrested near N.Begur village of Bandipur Tiger reserve, over a two-day operation which started on September 9, led by RFO Giresh of the Special Tiger Protection Force (STPF).

The Forest Department and Police team with the seized items along with the arrested suspects.
Photo: WTI

While the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) and gaur (Bos gaurus) are afforded protection under Schedule I (Part 1) of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the sambar (Cervus unicolour) and chital (Axix axis) are protected under Schedule III. All the accused were booked under the relevant provisions of the WPA.

Bandipur National Park, situated at the confluence of Western and Eastern Ghats, serves as a central link in the seasonal migration of elephants from Mudumalai Sanctuary and Sathyamangalam forest division in the East and South East to Nagarahole National Park and Wayanad Sanctuary in the West and North West. The Reserve has 13 Ranges sperad over 1020 sq km and is a significant component of 5500 sq.km ‘Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve’, which is one of the largest conservation areas in India. It supports a very high density of elephants with a significant number of adult tuskers. The Reserve is one of the richest wildlife areas in India, being particularly noted for seven large ungulate species (muntjac, chital, sambar, chousingha, gaur, wildpig and elephant) and three large predatory carnivores – tiger, leopard and dholes.