Several oriental squirrel and bird carcasses were seized during a raid by the officials of the forest division and the Dering Wildlife Sanctuary (DEWS) at Pasighat market in East Siang district.
Led by DFO (WL) Tashi Mize, East Siang ZPC Kaling Dai, chief municipal councillor Denong Tamuk and other officials, the raid took place yesterday after a tip-off about bush meat being openly sold in the market, a forest department statement said.
Carcasses of 11 oriental squirrels, 143 bulbuls and 4 hill mynahs were seized and later burnt in public, it said.
Open sale of bush meat has encouraged hunters to kill birds, deer, squirrels in the district, local wildlife activists said.
State Environment and Forests Parliamentary Secretary C T Mein, on a visit to DEWS, lauded the DFO's efforts and expressed interest in starting elephant safaris to promote tourism there.
