Team Herald
VALPOI: Four of the 18 automatic camera traps have been reported to have gone missing from the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary.
It may be recalled that the Forest Department had installed around 18 automatic trap cameras in the Sanctuary to help it capture photographic evidence of animals living in the sanctuary.
The locals residing near the sanctuary feigned ignorance on the presence of these camera traps in the area. They claimed that not a single villager has visited the sanctuary and suspect that these four camera traps may have been stolen by forest officials. They accused the forest officials of being corrupt. However, the forest officials have no clue as to how these camera traps went missing, but added that investigations are on.
“We had installed the total of 18 camera traps in the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary at different locations. These automatic camera traps provide photographic evidence of animals living in the sanctuary. We had installed them in October and four of these camera traps went missing this month. We are installing camera traps across the sanctuary, informed Prakash Salelkar, Range Forest Officer, Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary.
