More advanced device to detect traps in Dudhwa Tiger Reserve

LAKHIMPUR: In order to check poaching of rare animals, officials of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve have procured advanced device to detect traps laid by poachers in the protected forest.

"To nail down the poaching activities, we have been armed with deep search metal detectors (DSMD) to detect iron clamps and traps used by poachers," Deputy director P P Singh said. Forest officials have identified 27 sensitive areas in the Reserve where regular patrolling is needed.

"The forest guards and other field staff would regularly patrol in the sensitive areas with DSMD, Singh said.

TRAFFIC India (a wing of worldwide wildlife fund-WWF) representative Rahul Dutta, who came with his team in Dudhwa to impart training of using DSMDs to the DTR field staff told PTI that poachers mostly use iron clamps to trap tigers, leopards and other wild species".

"There is a need to use DSMD effectively as this sophisticated device, mostly used by the army personnel to detect explosive mines, is capable to detect such iron clamps even buried deep into the ground, Dutta said.

In collaboration with the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) and WWF, TRAFFIC India has provided four DSMDs to the tiger reserve.

Two of them would be dispatched to Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary while one each would be installed in Dudhwa National Park and Kishunpur Sanctuary, he said, adding that the use of DSMDs in other national parks in Maharashtra, Uttrakhand, Orissa and Rajasthan have yielded positive results.