Despite being protected under Schedule 1 of the Wild Life Protection Act 1972, Kharsa (Hog deer) is reportedly being poached unabated at Jawa Lamjao, located at the north of Loktak Lake.
According to sources, on receiving specific input, a team of Wild Life Explorers Manipur carried out an inspection at Jawa Lamjao and found the carcass of an adult female hog deer with a suspected gun wound on the left of its belly.
The team alleged that the deer must have wandered around for a couple of days after being shot by poachers before succumbing to its injuries, it informed.
The team was led by ranger officer Ratankumar under the supervision of divisional forest officer, Bishnupur Rebecca Chanu along with Bishnupur Forest Division staff and volunteers of Unique Wildlife Protection Committee and Green Brigade Manipur.
In this regard, fish farmers from around the region denied hearing any gunshots but raised suspicion that herds of Hog deer were being chased around by poachers using hunting dogs, it continued.
It stated that the team also found another carcass of a male Hog deer close to the area. As the carcass was mostly decomposed, the team could not determine the cause of its death, it mentioned. It also alleged that the male deer must have escaped from its poachers and succumbed to its injuries after, it continued.
It can be mentioned that a team of Unique Wild Life Protection Committee and Wild Life Crime Control Bureau had rescued a wounded male Hog deer which had reportedly escaped from poachers on the first day of the Yaoshang festival, it stated.
There have been many cases of the Kharsa (Hog deer) being poached for its meat within this year, it added. It also urged the authorities concerned to take up immediate action to save the endangered species from disappearing from the state entirely.
