Over 6,960 poachers arrested for killing, trafficking 2,869 wild animals

More than 6,900 poachers were arrested for killing and trafficking of 2,869 wildlife animals during the past 10 years, Forest, Environment and Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia told the Odisha Assembly on Tuesday. While replying to a question from Congress legislator Taraprasad Bahinipati, the minister said the law enforcement authorities have arrested 6,960 poachers during the last 10 years and seized different body parts of wild animals including skins, nails and horns of tigers, beer, deer, sambar and other wild lives, elephant tusks, and pangolins from them. While the seized elephant tusks have been stored at the state government's treasury, the other seized items have been preserved at the forest range offices, he said. The government has formed a joint task force comprising officials of forest and police departments to examine the wild animal poaching cases and take necessary steps, he stated. In another written statement to the House, the Forest minister said th