Global News - October 2007

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India sets up task force to tackle poaching problems

Tue 30 October 2007 14:15 UK — Asia,Big Cats

Forestry officials in India are poised to set up a new special task force to deal with poaching in the country, media reports suggest.

According to expressindia.com, the new force will be supported by various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in its efforts to curb the poaching of rare animals in the country.

Principal chief conservator of forests, B K Patnaik, told the site that the force would initially be concentrating its efforts on the Lakhimpur Kheri and Behraich areas of the Uttar Pradesh province.

He explained that these areas had high levels of wildlife crime because two of the state's largest wildlife sanctuaries were located nearby.

In related news, local reports suggest that India's supreme court has called on officials from Gujarat to explain what they are doing to tackle the issue of the poaching of Asiatic lions in the Gir forest.

According to the Times of India newspaper, the supreme court heard how the numbers of these rare lions have continued to decline in the state as a result of ongoing poaching.

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