Two poachers were taken into custody and nine dead migratory birds recovered from them by forest personnel in Padmapur protected reserved forest, under Rajnagar Mangrove (wildlife) Forest Division in Odisha.
Gadwall duck species which were netted by the duo are accorded protection under Schedule-1 of wildlife protection act. These feathered guests fly to Bhitarkanika area from Himalayan region during winter months, said Kujang Forest Range Officer, Pratap Kumar Mohanty.
The arrested persons - Amarendra Jana (46) and Haripada Jana - were active members of a birds' poaching racket. They have confessed to the crime. The duo had spread out nets in the mangrove forest areas of Padmapur to poach birds, informed the range officer Mohanty.
They were arrested under sections 9 and 44 of Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and remanded to jail custody after a local court rejected their bail application.
"We are organising camps in the forest-side villages to create awareness among the locals to protect the avian guests. Villagers are also evincing keen interest to save the birds from falling prey to poaching activity. In fact, forest personnel managed to intercept the poachers as some locals gave a tipoff", added the forest official.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
