SHILLONG: Meghalaya which is home to two National Park and numerous wildlife have thankfully not witnessed any cases of poaching in the last one year
It may be mentioned that state has several endangered species. Forest and Environment Minister, Lakmen Rymbui said that poaching did take place in earlier years but now most of the youths are educated and they know what is right and wrong.
He, however, said that there could be one or two cases which perhaps was solved by the forest officials but nothing as alarming that was reported or registered.
He informed that the state government from time to time educated people on the need to save the wildlife of the state.
Asked about instances of people posing in social networking sites with captured birds or animals, Rymbui said that people had been directed not to do so and in many cases many of the captured animals or reptiles had been handed over to the forest officials.
He said that the department has also awarded many individuals for rescuing animals so and it is going to help in wildlife protection to encourage people to safeguard the animals.
One of the hot biodiversity hotspots, Meghalaya has two National Park the Balphakram National Park spread across 220 Sq Km and Nokrek Ridge 47.48 Sq Km.
It may be mentioned that apart from the two National Parks, the state is also home to Selbagre Hoolock Gibbon Reserve in West Garo Hills District, Baghmara Reserve Forest South Garo Hills District, Siju Bird Sanctuary in South Garo Hills District and Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary in Ri-Bhoi district.