WPSI's Leopard Poaching Statistics
The
WILDLIFE PROTECTION SOCIETY OF INDIA (WPSI) works with government
enforcement agencies to apprehend tiger and leopard poachers and
traders throughout India. WPSI also makes every effort to investigate
and verify any unnatural tiger or leopard death, or seizure of their
parts.
The
following figures must represent only a
fraction of the actual poaching and trade in leopard parts in
India. The details below are compiled from reports received
from enforcement
authorities, work carried out by WPSI, and other sources.
To date, WPSI has documented the following cases:
 138 leopards killed in 1994
143 leopards killed in 1995
110 leopards killed in 1996
145 leopards killed in 1997
69 leopards killed in 1998
135 leopards killed in 1999
1,278 leopards killed in 2000
167 leopards killed in 2001
89 leopards killed in 2002
148 leopards killed in 2003
123 leopards killed in 2004
199 leopards killed in 2005
163 leopards killed in 2006
126 leopards killed in 2007
157 leopards killed in 2008
161 leopards killed in 2009
To reach an estimate of the magnitude of the poaching of leopards in
India, it may be noted that the Customs authorities multiply known
offences by ten to estimate the size of an illegal trade.
The
illicit international demand for big cat skins along with the trade in
bones and other parts for use in traditional oriental medicine,
continues to be the main reason for the unrelenting poaching pressure
on these endangered cats. There is virtually no market for either skins
or bones of leopards within India.
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