Imphal: The poachers have allegedly killed a female hog deer locally called kharsha and took away the venison off the bones, head, and skins at the northern part of the Loktak lake a part of the Keibul Lamjao National Park in the southern part of Manipur.

This came to light when the Manipur government high officials on Sunday launched a special drive in and around Jawa Lamjao located in the northern part of Loktak. Following receiving information about the poaching, the drive was carried out by Sovam Ratan Singh Bishnupur district Wildlife Warden under the overall supervision of Rebika Soibam Chanu, Bishnupur District Forest Divisional Officer.

Eight numbers of lassoes used in trapping the deer were recovered in the operation that started at 6 am and continued till 4 pm. With the recovery of these 8 lassoes, a total of 75 lassoes have been recovered from this area during the past six months, Chanu said.

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She said that the hunters used traditionally old and sophisticated weapons are being used in killing the wild animals inside the Loktak.

Locals working in the vegetable fields in and around the Jawa Lamjao informed Chanu that some ruthless hunters from time to time trapped the deer and killed the deer. They also further informed the officials concerned about providing cooperation about the trespassing of the Keibul Lamjao national park if there is any possibility of poaching activities.

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Chanu further informed that the hunters have left the head, bones, skins, and four legs of the deer after cutting off its venison.

Researchers at the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, have found hog deer species at Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP) in Manipur, which is on the list of Threatened Species of IUCN, according to WWI.

Although larger compared to the rest of their species in India, they were assumed to be the western hog deer species. However, a genetic intervention revealed that the KLNP population of hog deer is the eastern hog deer species, earlier believed to be confined to Southeast Asia.