Wealthy coffee estate owners hunting wildlife in Kodagu

Multi-millionaires, owning large coffee estates, in Karnataka are sneaking into protected forests and hunting wild animals. According to sources, several poachers and hunters who have been arrested in the last three years are wealthy coffee estate owners, college students from affluent families and timber business owners. Some of them even belong to the Rifle Association of Karnataka.

 On Saturday, the forest department officials in Kodagu district of Karnataka have arrested a gang of five hunters, three of whom own large coffee estates in the state. The arrested include Santosh, Sashi, Sharanu, Ranjit and Raju. The hunters and poachers used a licensed double barrel to shoot at a 'big cat' in Nagarhole Tiger Reserve.

The accused entered the protected wildlife area to kill a deer for its meat. When they spotted a 'big cat' lying in a pool of water, they fired gun shots at it.  Forest officials believe that the tiger was lying in the water unmoved when the accused went near it. The officials believe that the tiger could have died due to health reasons.

The forest officials seized tiger claws and canines from the arrested. Three of the arrested, including Santosh, Sashi and Ranjit are from wealthy families who own coffee estates. According to sources, the coffee estate owners are poaching and hunting the wild animals with the help of locals. Among the five arrested, Raju was a casual labourer.

 The accused used sharp knives, used in meat shops, to cut the tiger's canines as they are strong, a forest official told The Hans India. The accused did not deskin the tiger but decamped with the big cat's nails and canines. The forest officials recovered 13 claws and two canines, an official of the Indian Forest Service (IFoS) said.

The accused, who live in areas abutting the national park in Kodagu, shared the tiger nails between them after chopping off its paws.  Cases have been registered against the arrested under the Wildlife Protection Act on charges of hunting, collection of animal parts, illegally entering a national park and using firearms.

 This is not a lone incident of poaching during the lockdown. Earlier, a real estate tycoon was arrested for poaching in a wildlife sanctuary. Around 14 poachers killed two Sambar deer around Bhadra Tiger Reserve in Karnataka. The forest officials revealed that some wealthy families think it is adventurous to hunt wild animals. Officials also told The Hans India that wild animals are being hunted for exotic meat. Wild animals, including boar, sambar deer and bison are being poached for their meat. Hotels serve the meat for elite clientele, the officials said.