THE TELEGRAPH
January 14, 2011

Caught on camera: A poacher sneaks into Orang

Guwahati, Jan. 13: Camera traps, which up to now have clicked pictures of wildlife in Assam, have now for the first time taken pictures showing poachers at Orang National Park.

Revealing this at a news conference today, Assam principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife), Suresh Chand, said pictures taken by camera traps hung on trees have been able to take pictures of a group of poachers who had killed a rhino on January 9. “Cameras which were placed in the trees got the pictures of poachers who were moving in the area. The poachers had come with an intent to kill a rhino,” Chand said.

The poachers were carrying .303 rifles.

Camera trapping is being done by Aaranyak, a wildlife NGO, at Orang National Park for tiger estimation. Around 70 cameras have been put up at strategic locations in the park.

Chand said the poachers, who are believed to be the same, came on January 5. They, however, succeeded in killing a rhino on January 9. Chand said on January 9, the poachers had changed their route and were successful in killing the rhino.

read full story here