Pangolin poaching racket busted by Telangana Forest dept, 10 poachers held

Hyderabad, Sept 1 (PTI): An organised racket of poaching and smuggling pangolin, an endangered species, has been busted by the officers and staff of Kawal Tiger Reserve in Telangana, the forest department said on Tuesday.

Hyderabad, Sept 1 (PTI): An organised racket of poaching and smuggling pangolin, an endangered species, has been busted by the officers and staff of Kawal Tiger Reserve in Telangana, the forest department said on Tuesday. During the investigation, which started a month ago, the officers of the Forest Department of Asifabad and Kaghaznagar found that 20 people were involved in the racket and nabbed ten of them.

They seized a live adult pangolin, one car, a motorcycle and mobile phones from their possession,a release from the Forest department said here. Hunting and trading of pangolin is a serious offence and punishable with minimum punishment of seven years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of not less than Rs 5 lakh,it said.

Pangolin, an endangered species, is listed under schedule 1 species of Wildlife Protection Act 1972..