Mumbai: Sniffer dogs are being used to sniff whether any wild animal is being illegally smuggled. Forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said this while replying to a query raised by members of the Legislative Council over killing of tigers and leopards in the state. It was only in January that two tigresses and three leopards were killed in Vidharba. The minister also said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is also used in cases where there has been doubt over killing of animals.
MLCs Sanjay Dutt and Amrishbhai Patel raised questions in the LC regarding the death of two tigresses and three leopards. They also raised questions over what action has been taken from the forest department over the same.
Replying to the queries, forest minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said, “In Vidarbha, five tiger projects, four special Tiger Protection Forces has been formed, which regularly checks the forests.”
The minister further has added, “In Amravati, Chandrapur and Nagpur areas sniffer dogs have been kept. These dogs are taken to railway stations, bus stands and bazaars to find out whether any illegal smuggling of wild animals is taking place.”
During the missing of Jai, the tiger from Maharashtra, the government said it had even taken help from CBI to locate him. The minister also said that appropriate action has been taken against the accused.
The minister said that forest officials conduct special rounds in forests day and night, and even during monsoon. He said wherever, there are reports of electric wire supply to deter animals, forest officials check those places frequently.
