ITANAGAR, 15 Mar: “The state government has notified Braiduah community reserve, located adjacent to the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary in West Kameng district, under the provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972,” Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) N Tam informed in a release on Friday.
The community reserve is spread over 1,470 hectares of land donated by the local community to ensure wildlife protection, particularly of the critically endangered bird Bugun liocichla, which is found only in the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary landscape and nowhere else in the world.
“The local Bugun community, which has selflessly donated the land for wildlife conservation, is a role model and deserves huge appreciation,” the PCCF said.
He informed that the Braiduah community reserve will be managed by the Braiduah Community Reserve Management Committee “through a duly approved management plan with funding support from the central and the state governments.”
The PCCF pointed out that, “during the election process, while the model code of conduct is in force, people take advantage of the situation for poaching wild animals to sell their meat.”
“This is totally illegal, and action will be taken against offenders under the penal provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972,” Tam said.
He highlighted that hunting, possession, transportation and consumption of wild meat is strictly prohibited under various sections of the Act, “and anyone found indulging in such illegal activities shall be penalised with seven years of imprisonment, or a fine of Rs 1 lakh, or both.”
Tam urged the public to report incidents of wildlife hunting to the forest authorities concerned.
