29 September 2011

New Delhi: Various prohibited items were seized with the assistance of the Wildlife Protection Society of India in two separate incidents today.

One leopard skin was seized, and two persons arrested by the Special Task Force of the Uttarakhand Police in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.

Two leopard skins, the gall bladder of a Himalayan black bear, the musk pod of a musk deer, and other items were seized by the Special Operations Group of the Uttarakhand Police in Sukhi Dhang, Uttar Kashi, Uttarakhand. One person, who is suspected to be a longtime trader in wildlife products, has been arrested in this case.

The leopard is listed in Schedule I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, and is afforded the highest degree of protection. Thus far, 136 leopards have been poached in India in detected cases in this year alone, with 51 of those being reported from Uttarakhand. Last year, 180 leopards were poached in India in detected cases. The Musk deer and Himalayan black bear are also afforded the highest degree of protection under law.