Gurgaon resident complains of illegal wildlife trade in Aravallis

The wildlife department and the police on Saturday received a complaint regarding the illegal trade of wildlife in the Aravalli forest area.

A resident of the city, in his complaint, stated that a large number of jackals and peacocks are being captured illegally by an unidentified group near Tata Raisina Residency on Golf Course Extension Road.

Paramvir Singh Narang, a resident of DLF Phase-1, said that he witnessed such incidents several times, wherein peacocks and other wild animals were being trapped.

A complaint on the issue was filed at the Badshahpur police station.

“A metal trap is placed on the ground near water sources, as wild animals frequent the spot. The animals are caught in the trap and are taken away by these people,” he said.

He said that he regularly visits the forest area in the mornings during his walk, during which he found evidence of poaching of wildlife in the Aravallis.

Officials of the wildlife department have initiated a probe in this case.

“It (the poaching) might be related to the illegal trade of wildlife. We are not sure at present. Our team will investigate the site and will come to a conclusion,” said Vinod Kumar, conservator wildlife, South Haryana.

Peacock is a protected species under Schedule-I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Thus, they should not be captured or kept in captivity, experts said.

The area (parts of Golf Course Extension Road) comes under Aravalli forest, the wildlife official said. “We do not have a wildlife corridor for the protection of animals in the region, which is a big concern,” Kumar said.

The resident has shared pictures of trapped peacocks and evidence of metal trap on the ground with the wildlife department for further investigation.

On November 21, the special environment court, Faridabad, convicted tiger poacher Bhima Bawaria and sentenced him to three years imprisonment. The court also imposed a fine of Rs10,000 under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.