Bastar Tiger & Leopard Parts Consumed, Trafficked

Investigators in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, are probing a chilling wildlife crime where a tiger and leopard were allegedly poached and their meat consumed before their skins and other body parts entered the illegal trade. The operation led to the arrest of more than eight individuals, including a deputy forest ranger, after forest teams intercepted a tiger skin.

Preliminary findings indicate the tiger was hunted approximately four months ago in Bijapur, while the leopard was killed in the Keshapur village area. The arrested individuals, all tribal members, are believed to be part of a local network, though the extent of the larger trafficking chain remains under investigation. Nails have been seized, but valuable teeth are missing, suggesting parts may have already left the state.

This crime raises serious conservation concerns, particularly for the fragile tiger population in the Indravati Tiger Reserve, potentially reducing its numbers from six to five. Officials have vowed to pursue everyone involved in wildlife hunting and trafficking to curb such activities and strengthen conservation efforts in the region.