Wildlife crimes rise by 100% in a year in Kerala

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Wildlife-relatedcrimeshave increased dramatically in the state and there has been a100%rise in the number of cases registered in 2020 compared to the previous year.

According to data obtained under the Right To Information (RTI) Act, the state registered 303 cases in 2020 as against 151 in 2019 and 61 in 2018. As many as 156 cases were recorded in the state in 2021 till August 26 this year.

Most cases pertained to poaching of endangered animals and reptiles, hunting for meat

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and illegal trading and possession of horns, tusks, nails, and teeth. Removing tusks or nails and collecting meat from animals that died naturally is also an offence. More than 80% of the total cases registered each year are in connection with poaching of wild animals other than wild boars that cause extensive damage to standing crops.

Besides wild boars, sambar deer, spotted deer, porcupines, monitor lizards, pythons, civets and turtles are among those that fall prey to poaching. Occasionally, elephants, leopard, tigers and wild gaurs are also hunted down, say the data.