News
Greed, stupidity and endangered lives
-
- Forest reserves are supposedly safe areas for animals… but a growing number of poachers are turning them into killing fields
-
- Wild Life Officers with an animal which had just died in one of the traps
-
- Raiding officers were able to take into custody large quantities of wire used in the setting of traps
-
- The wanton killers who care not for human or animal life
-
- In their greed to make a quick buck, poachers have turned to poisoning water holes in the reserves. The blackened tongue of this dead animal indicates poisoning
-
- Another unfortunate animal caught in one of the traps
The demand for venison continues to pose a serious problem. In the Hambantota district, hunters not only set traps to ensnare these beautiful and harmless creatures, they have also turned to poisoning water holes inside forest reserves to kill the animals.
Recently, officers from the Hambantota Wildlife Office arrested three poachers while they were inspecting traps they had set inside the Walsapugala Forest Reserve.
A search operation led to the discovery of four deer head as well as other body parts of deer that had been killed in recent days.
Wildlife officers also recovered the body of a large deer suspected to have been poisoned. They also located 40 traps set at various locations inside the reserve.
The owner of a hotel in Ambalantota was also taken into custody for having purchased venison from the poachers.
In that raid, officers were also able to recover 22 kg of deer flesh from the hotel.
All four suspects were produced before the Hambantota Magistrate who released the suspects on a personal bail of Rs. 200,000/- each.
Charges are to be filed on August 29.