More than 6 per cent of the leopard population of Odisha has fallen victim to poachers, according to the official estimates during the past two-and-a-half years.

According to the official figures, as many as 49 leopards have been killed out of the estimated population of 793 leopards during the past two-and-a-half years in Odisha. The actual number could be more than double, said officials.

While 30 leopard skins were seized by the state task force of the Odisha Crime Branch, another 19 have been seized by the forest department over 30 months, source said. Besides the leopards, tuskers are being targeted by the criminals. Two charred carcasses of elephants were recovered by the STF from the dense forests of the Sambalpur district on July 24.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the special task force, crime branch, J.N. Pankaj told The Telegraph: “We have seized 30 leopard skins and arrested 43 wildlife criminals. These leopard skins are sold across India. The cost of the leopard skin varies from Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh.”

Pankaj said: “Leopard skin is much sought after these days as the number of temples, ashrams increases. Even the hermits want them. People want to decorate their houses. As there is a demand, the criminals are busy.”

“We found criminals trading leopard skins with organised crime networks. Wildlife crimes shot up sharply during the Covid-19 pandemic. The criminals with the help of locals residing in the forest periphery areas are indulging in poaching and trading. They wait for the right opportunity to strike a deal and earn quick money. The price of leopard skins varies from Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh, depending on the customers and quality of the leopard skin,” he said.

Pankaj said: “On Monday, a team of Special Task Force (STF) conducted raid with the help of Ramgir Forest officials of the Koraput district on the side of the road near Ramgir Gupteswar Gate under Ramagiri Wildlife Range regarding dealing and possession of wildlife products by wildlife criminals, as a result of which one wildlife criminal Mana Gouda was apprehended.”

Sources said the STF is struggling hard to nab the criminals with its limited manpower.

“We are doing our best. We have only 10 personnel in the squad, looking after the entire state. Based on our intelligence network from the ground and through filtering it, we have so far been successful in minimising the crime,” said a senior official. However, officials admitted that the number of leopard victims to the poachers could be more than double.

The leopard population in Odisha is estimated at in the range of (727-793) as per the status of Leopards in India 2018 survey report.

“As per the mathematics, we always seize 10 per cent of the carcass of the animals killed. If we go by that calculation, the official figure cited on the killing of leopards is just the tip of the iceberg,” said eminent wild-life activist Biswajit Mohanty.