Subject: Nagarahole-Herbivore Poaching

FWD DECCAN HERALD, AUGUST 1, 1997
MYSORE, July 31
Close on the heels of the seizure of tiger skin and bones comes an even more
chilling exposure: poaching of bison, sambar and spotted deer for selling the
meat to hotels in Mysore and Gonikoppa, in neighbouring Kodagu. The racket
involving the sale of beef (gaur), and the meat of spotted deer and sambar
has gone on unchecked in a couple of hotels with direct links to poachers
operating in the Nagarahole National Park. The poaching operation was
allegedly masterminded by three Kodagu-based planters, who also supplied the
meat obtained to select outlets in Mysore and Gonikoppa, while some tribals
did the ''field job`` for them. Specific details such as the exact number of
animals and animal varieties poached, the hotels where their meat was being
supplied and for how long, would become known once the three planters were
arrested, according to a senior forest officer.
The racket was unravelled when the officials of the forest department
arrested two tribals -Sanna (55) and Ganesh (37) - of Madeluruhadi in the
National Park. The two were habitual offenders and had recently been released
after serving a two-year jail term for poaching, the officer pointed out.
They were arrested when they were cooking the meat of a freshly- killed
bison. They had removed about 30 kg of meat, while only about 1.5 kg was
being cooked. The arrest, effected in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, was
followed by the seizure of all four legs and head of the killed animal. The
horns were, however, still to be recovered.
MASTERMINDS FLEE: The forest officer claimed that three planters - Mudiyoda
Raju,Mudiyoda Arasu and Elavara Belli - took to their heels after the news of
arrest of the duo reached them. Their arrest would throw more light on the
racket, he said.The two tribals reportedly admitted that over the past year
alone they had killed seven bisons, four spotted deer and three sambar,
besides other animals, totalling 20 animals. The officer did not rule out the
racket being in operation for the past several years. From P M Vijendra Rao
DH News Service