IT SEEMS poachers can go to any length
to carry on their trade. Poaching of
flora and fauna goes on unchecked in
the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. An
Institute of British Geographers survey
has raised serious concerns about the
killing of estuarine crocodiles for their
skins and the slaughtering of Olive
'Ridley turtles for their meat. The flora
smuggled out of the islands include
cane and paddock, a very precious timber. These poachers travel in the
guise of fisherfolk on trawlers from
places like Myanmar, Thailand and
Indonesia.
The crocodiles, eight to nine feet
long, are mostly found in the estuary of
Galgathia river in the Great Nicobar
Islands. The poachers hunt these reptiles with the help of local tribals.
Crocodile skin sells for a price of at least
us $3 per square inch. The Olive Ridley
turtles have migrated from eastern
Andaman islands to the southernmost
parts of the Great Nicobar Islands to
escape poachers.
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