GUWAHATI: Three hog deer were killed by poachers in Kuklung Range of Manas National Park (MNP) in western Assam on Thursday.
Confirming this a senior forest official in Manas National Park and Tiger Project informed that Kuklung Range was the first addition to Manas National Park where deployment of field staff is not yet adequate due to shortage..
Hog deer is an endangered species in the IUCN Red List and is protected under Schedule I of the Indian Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
The hog deer were killed and chopped into pieces by poachers inside the forest on Thursday. However, alert forest staff managed to seized the meat of the poached deer inside the jungle while the poachers managed to give a slip.
A forest patrol party got the whiff of killing of the animals and gave a chase to the poachers who left behind the meat and two bi-cycles while fleeing under cover of the thick forest. The poachers cut the deer into pieces inside the jungle after killing the same, but could not take it out.
Kuklung Range is part of the 350 square kilometer added to the National Park last year. He said there was shortage of adequate field staff to protect the new range. Process is at the nascent state to create a new division including Kuklung Range in order to augment vigil and protection. The process will take time though the state government had notified the first addition to the MNP last year.