ITANAGAR, 18 May: Forest department personnel have intensified night patrolling in core zones and fringe areas of the Pakke Tiger Reserve & Wildlife Sanctuary in Pakke-Kessang district, an official said on Saturday.
The patrolling has been intensified following the interception of four unidentified persons collecting frogs in the Takosinyi pond area, about 20 kms from the range office on 15 May, Range Forest officer of Rilloh Range, Talo Dibo said.
Dibo, who led the patrolling team, said that patrolling was carried out to curb illegal fishing, and hunting of wild birds and animals in the Rilloh wildlife range headquarters, and also to generate awareness among the general public.
As soon as the patrolling team arrived, the unidentified persons carrying a .22 rifle and a 12-bore SBBL gun fled deep into the forest.
During the search, two local backpacks and two local machetes, three live cartridges of 12 bore SBBL gun inside the local backpack, and one roasted giant black squirrel were recovered, the official said.
The team could not chase the hunters who took benefit of the darkness, he said.
The hunters were equipped with firearms, the official added. (PTI)
