Guj: 34 suspected poachers held after lion cub found in snare

A day after a lion cub was foundtrapped in a snare in Gir-Somnath district of Gujarat, 34suspected poachers were nabbed by the forest department onThursday, an official said.

A total of 38 persons have been arrested so farafter a lion cub was found trapped in a snare on the outskirtsof Prachi village on Wednesday, said Chief Conservator ofForest K Ramesh.

Animal bones, meat and choppers as well as snares wereseized from their possession, he said, adding that the snareswere not big enough to trap full-grown lions.

The accused hunted smaller animals like jackals andrabbits whose body parts are used to make traditionalmedicines, usually sold in roadside tents, he said.

''We also found a jackal trapped in a snare in the samearea on Wednesday. We then nabbed four suspects from Junagadhwhen they were trying to flee and learnt about the involvementof several others,'' Ramesh told reporters.

On Thursday, around 500 forest officials scanned theentire lion habitat in Saurashtra region and found 17 moresnares, he said, adding that 34 persons, suspected to bepoachers, were nabbed from Bhavnagar area during theoperation.

The suspects were booked under the Wildlife ProtectionAct and will be produced before a court on Friday, he said.

PTI COR PJTKRK KRK