Assam: Wildlife conservationists working close to Laokhowa and Burachapori Wildlife Sanctuaries in the Nagaon district of Assam are baffled at the number of scheduled species being killed at close intervals near the sanctuaries.

In less than two months, a tiger and a leopard were killed – held responsible for cattle lifting by the villagers. In the first incident on May 25, a tiger was killed by the villagers in Lathimari inside Laokhowa WLS. On July 3, a leopard was killed in Balijuri village – just 9 kms. away from Lathimari.

What has intrigued most was the manner in which people carried away their body parts after they were killed.

Skin, eyes, tail, claws, teeth, bones and other vital organs of the animal were bizarrely found missing from the sites. Now, it is suspected that their body parts might have landed into the hands of illegal wildlife traffickers.

Expressing concern, Shimanta Goswami of the Green Guard Nature Club also a member of the Wildlife Rehabilitators Exchange Network Programme (WREN) of WTI said, “Illegal wildlife traffickers previously active in Kaziranga and Orang due to strict security might have shifted their attention to these areas.”

“Traffickers might have found it easy to lure villagers to give away the body parts of their catch for a price. Although, improved enforcement in the rhino bearing areas have considerably reduced poaching related incidences.”

In the last couple of months, several incidences of man-animal conflicts have been reported from the region – which includes Lathimari, Burachapori, Kochmora and other adjoining areas.

It is not just the big cats which had been the victims of conflicts, this year alone several incidences of man-elephant conflicts were also reported from the region and in one of the incidences an elephant was poisoned to death. In another incident very recently on July 10, a boy was killed by an elephant in the Lungsung village in the Chapanala area, which is close to Burachapori.

“Animals killed, captured or harmed in retaliation are some of the major threats to the continued survival of many endangered species.” said Prajna Paramita Panda, Programme Officer of WTI.

Conservationists feel that lack of adequate food supply in forest habitats have forced these animals to look for food in the peripheral villages resulting in conflicts. Doubts over their survival could only worsen if the illegal traffickers happen to join hands with villagers in the conflict.