Vigil stepped up; anti-poaching camps on alert

The anti-poaching camps in Bandipur are on a high alert following Sunday’s incident in which a suspected poacher was injured in an exchange of fire with forest guards.

The authorities have recovered the cellphone of the suspected poacher which is expected to furnish a wealth of information about the other gang members, including the kingpin. Combing operation in the forests, however, did not yield any weapon. The incident has brought to light the imperatives of sustained foot patrolling and strengthening intelligence gathering to foil poachers from gaining an upper hand.

There are 46 anti-poaching camps there that are fully staffed and they are supplemented by the Special Tiger Protection Force, which operates in the jungles. A conservation activist said intelligence gathering was weak and cultivating locals living on the forest fringes was a must.

Cellphone of injured suspected poacher recovered