Uttarakhand emerging as hotspot of ivory smuggling

DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand, known as one of the safest abodes of the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) in Southeast Asia, is fast emerging as an important contributor to the illegal trade of ivory across the globe. With the seizure of 2.5 kg of ivory from Dehradun this week, the total quantity of the illegal animal part apprehended in the hill state since its formation in 2000, has now risen to an alarming 280 kg. A kilogram of ivory can fetch thousands of dollars on the international market and this has led to a spurt in the smuggling of elephant tusks over the years.

According to sources in the Uttarakhand police department’s special task force (STF), ivory consignments that either originate or reach Uttarakhand from other states eventually get smuggled to New Delhi, from where they are sent to other parts of the country or shipped abroad. “In most of the cases, the ivory has come from elephants within Uttarakhand,” STF SSP, Senthil Avoodai Krishna Raj, told TOI.

The numbers of the Asian elephant have been dwindling fast and it is on the list of endangered animals since 1986. Of the 50,000 elephants in the country, only about 1400 are left in Uttarakhand’s forests. This, when 45,000 sq km of forest area in the hill state comes under the protected Shivalik Elephant Reserve. Wildlife officials say the state’s geographical location makes it a convenient hub for ivory smugglers.

“Uttarakhand’s rich wildlife and its proximity to Nepal, China and Delhi, makes it extremely vulnerable to illegal wildlife trade,” said SP Subodhi, director of Rajaji National Park.