Theni, Friday, January 17, 2014: Wildlife Foundation (WF), a Meghamalai based conservation organisation, with the aid of Wildlife Trust of India, along with the support of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department and Aircel, has started anti-snare patrolling in the fringe areas of the Meghamalai Wildlife Sanctuary (soon to be included in the Tiger reserve network). In the past 20 days alone the patrolling team consisting of members of both WF and the Forest Department has recovered a number of snares and has managed to catch a poacher before he could enter the sanctuary.

“On the eve of December 27, during a daily night patrol, the team apprehended a poacher in the fringe areas of the Gudalur range, who had a loaded rifle with him. During interrogation, he confessed to having poached a sambar, a major prey for the tigers, and selling its meat only four days prior to his arrest. He has been charged under the appropriate sections of the IPC. He was given bail in a hearing on January 13 and the next hearing has been scheduled for January 25,” says Angels, President of the Wildlife Foundation.

The alleged poacher was caught right outside the Gudalur range
Photo credit: Wildlife Foundation

Snares have become a bane in many national parks around the country with a number of wildlife deaths attributed to them. Infamous for being one of the most slow and agonising killers of wildlife, the crude simplicity of the mechanism involved has made it a popular choice of weapon for a number of communities involved in the hunting and trade of ‘bush meat’ around the country.

“Unfortunately, while the trap is set for wild boars, deer, etc- popularly known as ‘bush meat’- you do have larger animals like your big cats, like tigers and leopards, getting caught in these snares and dying a horrible death. Snares are usually put in a large number to maximise the chances of prey being caught and one needs regular patrolling by trained personnel in the target areas to be able to maintain snare-free national parks and wildlife sanctuaries,” remarks Jose Louies, WTI’s Lead of the Wildlife Enforcement and Law Division.

Meghamalai wildlife sanctuary. Photo credit: Wildlife Foundation

Nixon Armstrong, the Project Lead for the Nilgiri Conservation Project remarked on the multi-fold collaboration needed to tackle problems like snares saying, “With the immense support being provided by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department, the passion of Wildlife Foundation and the commitment of a corporate like Aircel, Wildlife Trust of India can help in securing these areas for wildlife, especially since they are now emerging as essential conduits and contiguous forests for keystone species like tigers.”

Meghamalai is adjacent to Periyar in Kerala and Kalakkad in Tamil Nadu, forming an important landscape for tigers- a Tiger Conservation Unit. “The area spans 1800 sq km and with Periyar as a viable breeding ground, Meghamalai becomes a habitat capable of providing suitable environment for a  healthy population of tigers. If you look at the adjoining Srivilliputhur Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary (SGSWLS), then the entire vicinity forms a corridor between Tamil Nadu and Kerala for the tigers and there are proposals being considered to declare Meghamalai WLS and SGSWLS as a Tiger Reserve,” added Armstrong.

While talking about the landscape, its people and wildlife, Angels commented on the necessity of technical assistance while carrying out these operations. “If you looked at the area say eight years ago you would hardly spot elephants or tigers around here. Now at least a large number of locals are more supportive of the wildlife here and regard it as part of their natural heritage, all of which has directly contributed to a rise in the population of certain species. Now you can actually see some elephant herds roaming around!”

He further adds, “However you still have a section of locals, especially those involved in agriculture, who view wildlife as pests as their crops often get damaged. Thanks to the logistical and technical support provided by Wildlife Trust of India we’ve been able to reach out to the locals make the most of their support and the information provided by them to help save the animals.”