Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Two in forest dept net for bid to poach cranes

18-01-2012
Two in forest dept net for bid to poach cranes
Times of India
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Two-in-forest-dept-net-for-bid-to-poach-cranes/articleshow/11532259.cms

Two persons were arrested by the forest department officials in Kodinar taluka of Junagadh for an abortive attempt to poach demoiselle cranes.

This was the second such incident in the taluka in less then a fortnight. The two arrested have been identified as Aslam Alarakha Kharai (31) and Faraz Jhakhub Kharai (24), both residents of Mul Dwarka in Kodinar taluka.

Forest department officials received a tip off from Prakruti Nature club on Monday night. After a five-hour watch in the area, at about 1.45 am on Tuesday the two accused, who came out from the Bharda Bhandhara, were arrested.

Dinesh Goswami, a member of the club said, "We got information that two people entered the area which has large number of demoiselle cranes. They also had a small boat with them. Immediately our volunteers rushed to the spot and kept a watch. The forest department was informed and a team of officials rushed to the site."

Goswami said that the modus operandi of the two was similar to the earlier incident in the same area. The duo used two huge plastic kites with a light fishing net tied between the strings of the two kites. Once the kites were stable, the poachers would scare the birds and trap them in the net. The trapped birds were then killed.

Goswami said that the duo made several attempts to fly kites, but since there was no wind, they failed. Finally late in the night, the two came out of the Bhandhara where they were caught by the waiting foresters and volunteers. "We recovered a small boat, nets, nylon threads, and kites and a knife from them," said a forest official.

The department had earlier this month arrested five fishermen for their involvement in poaching of 11 demoiselle cranes.

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